The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has sought the collaboration of potential agencies and companies interested in further modifying technologies developed by ICMR institutes. Presently, two technologies---- Anti-KFD IgG ELISA for Kyasanur forest disease and Anti-CCHF Human IgG ELISA assay are available for collaboration.
Kyasanur Forest disease virus (KFDV) is a member of the genus Flavivirus and family Flaviviridae. It causes seasonal outbreaks during the months of January to June. The symptoms of the human disease include a high fever with frontal headaches, followed by hemorrhagic symptoms. KFD virus is a high risk group of pathogen (BSL-4) for other countries and a risk group-3 pathogen for India. It has its unique existence in five districts of Karnataka State. The disease has a fatality rate of 2-10 per cent and annually affects 100-500 people in these districts.
During a recent study human and monkey infection were noticed in Wyanad [year 2013] and Malapuram area in Tribe population [year 2014] of Kerala state and Nilgiri area in Tamil Nadu State [year 2013]. KFD virus has also caused outbreak in human and death in monkeys in Bandipur National park in Chamarajanagar district of Karnataka state which is 300 km far from endemic area [year 2012-13]. Due to lack of Anti-KFD IgG screening kit clear idea of human exposure with this virus could not clarified, though vector (ticks) are existing all through the country.
Salient features of this technology include, the ELISA uses inactivated KFDV antigen and hence can be used at BSL2 level testing; it can be used as screening test for Anti –KFD IgG antibodies; the differential reactivity among flaviviruses can be differentiated using clinical presentation; the assay requires 2.5 hours and its user friendly; and this assay can be used for sero-survey of human in adjoining sates of Karnataka and other different states of country to understand the seroprevalance of KFD virus in India and other places too. The kit stability testing is under progress.
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a severe acute febrile illness caused by CCHF virus (CCHFV, family Bunyaviridae, genus Nairovirus), with overall case fatality rate of 3–50 per cent. Person-to-person transmission of CCHFV occurs through direct exposure to blood or other secretions and instances of nosocomial transmission are well documented. The virus is transmitted to human either by bite of infected tick or by direct contact with blood or tissues of viremic patients or livestock. Although the virus had been identified nearby in Pakistan and western China it was recently detected and confirmed for the first time in India during a nosocomial outbreak in 2011 in Gujarat State. Subsequently, many episodes of sporadic cases were recorded in seven districts of Gujarat State. Recently in March 2014, a CCHF human case was also reported from the adjoining Rajasthan State.
Serological screening of humans allows CCHFV affected areas to be identified, as antibody prevalence in human is a good indicator of local virus circulation.
Salient features of this technology include, the ELISA uses inactivated CCHF antigen and hence can be used at BSL2 level testing; it can be efficiently used to detect IgG antibody against human; test compared with CDC kit, commercial Vector best IgM ELISA kit and found comparable; the assay requires 2.5 hours and is user friendly; and it can be used for screening of as Anti-CCHF IgG antibody for serosurvey studies to find out the presence of CCHF virus in unknown unreported areas of country. The kit stability testing is under progress. ICMR has invited interested parties for collaboration by January 19, 2015.