” Kyasanur Forest Disease” – ICMR-NIV Develops a New Point-of-Care Testing

What is the News?

A new point-of-care test has been developed for the rapid diagnosis of Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD).

About Point-of-Care Test:

• Firstly, the Point-of-Care Test has been developed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-National Institute of Virology.
• Secondly, the test kit includes a battery-operated Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The analyser is portable and lightweight. The kit also has a universal cartridge-based sample pre-treatment kit and nucleic acid extraction device that aid in sample processing at the point of care.

Significance of Point of Care Test:

• The Point of Care tests would be beneficial for the diagnosis of KFD. It is because the outbreaks mainly happen in remote areas where there is a lack of well-equipped sample handling and laboratory testing facilities.
• The test kit would also be useful in quick patient management and controlling the further spread of the virus.

About Kyasanur Forest disease:

• Firstly, the Kyasanur Forest disease is caused by a Kyasanur Forest disease virus. The disease primarily affects humans and monkeys.
• Secondly, India: The disease was first identified in the Kyasanur forest of Shimoga district in Karnataka during an investigation of monkey mortalities in 1957.
• Thirdly, Symptoms: The disease is characterized by chills, frontal headache, body ache, and high fever for five to 12 days with a case fatality rate of 3 to 5%.
• Fourthly, Transmission:
  • Rodents, shrews, and monkeys are common hosts for KFDV after being bitten by an infected tick.
  • Transmission to humans may occur after a tick bite or contact with an infected animal, most importantly a sick or recently dead monkey.
• Fifthly, Diagnosis: Diagnosis can be made in the early stage of illness. It can be done by molecular detection by PCR or virus isolation from blood.
• Sixthly, Treatment: There is no specific treatment for KFD. A vaccine (Formalin inactivated KFDV vaccine) does exist for KFD and is used in endemic areas of India.

Source: Indian Express