Study to map infections launched

We are going to see emergence of new pathogens and we need to be prepared, says ICMR chief

Looking ahead: T. Jacob John, left, retired professor of virology, Christian Medical College, being felicitated by Sunil Chandy, director of CMC, in Vellore.

A nationwide burden study has been launched to map dengue, chikungunya, and Japanese encephalitis, according to Soumya Swaminathan, secretary of Department of Health Research and Director-General of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

In a video message telecast at the National Virology Conference organised by the Department of Clinical Virology, Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore, on Friday, she said this study was to map these infections and that people would be screened for antibodies.

Noting that virology was an important area in public health and research, she said most new emerging diseases were viral infections. “We are seeing new vectors and new ways of transmission of virus,” she said. The role of virologists was becoming more and more important and relevant, she said and added that there was need to strengthen surveillance measures. “We are going to see emergence of new pathogens. We need to be prepared with a well coordinated system to deal with it,” she said. Referring to the expansion of network of laboratories across the country, she said the country had made strides in the last two years.

There was an expansion in provision of diagnostic services. Four or five years ago, no one would have thought about 1,50,000 confirmed dengue cases, Dr. Swaminathan said. Stressing on the need for a change in the mindset among doctors, she said: “Clinicians must depend on laboratory support — be it microbiology, biochemistry and pathology to confirm diagnosis.”

20 labs for Zika

As of now, 20 laboratories could test for Zika virus, she said. She pointed out that there was fever surveillance in primary health centres in many States. “With this, we can find out the top five causes of acute fever for a particular district in a particular State,” she said. She urged the conference organisers to send to ICMR a consensus list on research priorities as far as virology was concerned. “There is scope for research in therapeutics. Herbal medicines are coming from plants that have anti-viral properties,” she said.

The two-day conference was organised to commemorate the golden jubilee of the department. It was held under the aegis of the Indian Association of Medical Microbiologists and included presentations on clinicians’ expectations from a virology laboratory, need for cutting edge diagnostics and algorithmic approaches to diagnosis of acute encephalitic syndrome.

Sunil Chandy, director of CMC, T. Jacob John, retired professor of virology, CMC, Anna Pulimood, principal of CMC, and Rajesh Kannangai, professor and head, Department of Clinical Virology, CMC, were present.