The Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) will soon begin research projects on acute encephalitis syndrome (AES). The broad areas covered under the research projects will include development of newer diagnostic techniques, epidemiological studies, newer therapeutic approaches, vaccine efficacy studies and basic research.

The ICMR study on acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) is significant as the cases and deaths due to AES have been consistently reported from many states of India, with highest number being reported from UP, Assam and Bihar. In addition to the bacterial and other causes of AES, viral encephalitis/meningitis contributes substantially. Eastern UP contributes about 60 per cent of the total AES cases of the country.

Each year more than 2000 cases are admitted in BRD Medical College Hospital with 20 per cent mortality. The etiology of AES could be determined in only 25 per cent of the cases (18-20 per cent JE and 5-7 per cent bacterial and other causes), whereas etiology in rest of the 75 per cent cases remains unknown. It is to address this complex problem that a multidisciplinary research agenda has been developed by the ICMR.

The focus of the new research programme will be to develop newer diagnostic techniques for simultaneous detection of pathogens, known to be causative agents of encephalitis and also to develop novel pathogen discovery approaches. The study also aims at developing newer therapeutic approaches for encephalitis like syndromes. It will have randomised controlled clinical trials for drugs like pentoxyphylline and minocycline (which have been observed to decrease JE viral load in in-vitro studies).

The research will also focus on epidemiological studies, that will have disease burden evaluation studies on encephalitis like syndromes and on the development of model projects for environmental interventions. It will also focus on clinical studies for: development of uniform clinical guidelines for examination, investigation and management of encephalitis patients; for developing uniform clinical management guidelines for long-term sequel and movement disorders in encephalitis patients; and also for establishment of sample bank for CSF, sera, rectal and throat swabs from encephalitis patients.

The vaccine efficacy studies will focus on studies to assess the vaccine efficacy of SA-14-14-2 - single dose as well as two doses. In the basic research, the study will focus on host immune response to causative agents of encephalitis.

Meanwhile, the ICMR has invited proposals from the scientists for the research projects.