Dengue To Nipah: NIV Developing Vaccines For These Deadly Viruses In India
Last Updated:
With Nakshatra supercomputer at NIV Pune, virus mutations can be tracked in real time, speeding up vaccine development and enabling swift national response
The National Institute of Virology's (NIV) fight against deadly viruses is gaining momentum far beyond dengue. While India's first indigenous dengue vaccine has reached the final phase of human trials—an important breakthrough in tackling the mosquito-borne illness—NIV is also developing vaccines and diagnostic tools for several other high-risk viruses, aiming to reduce the country's reliance on imported technology and boost epidemic preparedness.
The Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD) virus, prevalent in Karnataka and surrounding forests, causes a severe fever, and its vaccine is now in an advanced stage.
Chandipura Virus
The Chandipura virus, which induces high fever in children, is also being targeted by NIV for a vaccine.
Nipah Virus
India is developing a vaccine for the highly lethal Nipah virus using monoclonal antibody technology.
CCHF Virus
The zoonotic Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) virus is also under surveillance by the NIV, where work on a vaccine and diagnostic kit is already underway.
These advancements signify India's growing self-reliance in addressing biological threats.
With Nakshatra in place, virus mutations can be tracked in real time, accelerating vaccine development and enabling faster national response during outbreaks. The arrival of this supercomputer is being hailed as a revolutionary step in India's virology efforts.
Eradicating Dengue
India's first indigenous dengue vaccine could mark a turning point in the country's decades-long battle against the disease. The vaccine has shown promise against all four serotypes of the dengue virus, thanks to modern biotechnology advances in the NIV labs. If the final phase of trials is successful, India will soon have its first homegrown and safe dengue vaccine.
Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated!
First Published:
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Deccan Herald
5 hours ago
- Deccan Herald
20 previously unknown viruses linked to human diseases found in Chinese bats
By Karoline KanScientists have discovered 20 previously unknown viruses in bats from China's Yunnan province, including two closely related to the deadly Nipah and Hendra viruses, raising fresh concerns about the risk of animal pathogens infecting people. The viruses related to Nipah and Hendra came from fruit bats caught near orchards close to villages, places where people and farm animals are more likely to come into contact with findings, published Tuesday in the journal PLOS Pathogens, underscore how much remains unknown about the microbes carried by bats — animals that serve as natural hosts for some of the world's most dangerous pathogens. Scientists have long warned that climate change, farming expansion, and urbanization are bringing animals and people into closer contact, increasing the likelihood of new viruses emerging and sparking outbreaks, as seen with SARS, Ebola, and ancestor of leukaemia virus found in bats.'This study highlights that we know very little about the viruses that infect bats and those that exist in our world more generally,' said Tim Mahony, director of the Centre for Animal Science at Australia's University of Queensland, who wasn't part of the research involved scientists from China and the University of Sydney, who examined the kidneys of 142 bats collected over four years in Yunnan. They identified 22 viruses in total, 20 of which hadn't been previously recorded. Among them were two henipaviruses closely related to Nipah and Hendra, which can cause fatal brain inflammation and respiratory illness in people, with mortality rates as high as 75%..The team also reported two new bacterial species and one previously unknown parasite. While most studies of bat viruses focus on feces, the researchers looked at kidney tissue, which plays a role in virus shedding through urine — a lesser-studied but potentially important route of two new henipaviruses were found in fruit bats living near agricultural areas, where urine from bats may contaminate fruit that's eaten by people or livestock. The findings 'underscore critical zoonotic threats,' the study authors wrote, adding that the potential for such viruses to infect humans or farm animals needs urgent attention. Despite the potential implications, one of the study's corresponding authors declined to speak in detail, telling Bloomberg by email that 'the topic is quite sensitive' due to how politically charged it has say the discovery is scientifically significant, though it's still too early to know how dangerous the new viruses might be.'This discovery basically further confirms the diversity of bat viruses in general and henipaviruses in particular,' said Linfa Wang, professor at the Programme in Emerging Infectious Diseases at Duke-NUS Medical School. 'My overall assessment is that we need to watch closely, but not be overly concerned at the present time.'
Hindustan Times
5 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Scientists discover new ‘brain-inflaming' bat viruses in China, raise ‘urgent concerns'
In China, researchers have discovered at least 20 new viruses within bats, raising "urgent concerns" that these might go on to affect livestock as well as humans in future. New 'brain-inflaming' bat viruses have been found in China.(UnSplash) The team used genetic sequencing to identify 22 viruses in the kidney tissues of 142 bats. These were collected from China's Yunnan province between 2017 and 2021. Two of them are genetically similar to Hendra and Nipah henipaviruses, Newsweek reported. Both the viruses could cause brain inflammation and dangerous respiratory disease in humans, according to The Sun. The study unveiled species of bacteria along with a parasite, which earlier remained unknown to science. Why could the discovery be crucial? This development comes a few years after the deadly COVID-19 outbreak resulted in millions of deaths around the world. Its first known case was identified in China's Wuhan city in late 2019. The Wuhan Virus Research Centre is famous for working on the coronaviruses found in bats. Earlier, there were theories suggesting that the pandemic started after the virus leaked from the Wuhan lab, perhaps through an infected worker. In the latest research, the team found out that bats were roosting near fruit orchards, which were adjacent to rural yet populated villages. The researchers have warned that urine could serve as a transmission route in henipaviruses, raising the risk that these bats can contaminate fruits, which are consumed by humans or animals. Potentially, this could pave the way for another outbreak. The study talks about the discovery of two previously unknown henipaviruses, called Yunnan bat henipavirus 1 and 2. It highlights the first full-length genomes of this virus type that was detected in bats in China. In a statement, molecular virologist professor Vinod Balasubramaniam called these viruses "concerning" as they were discovered in bat kidneys, "a site linked to urine production, raising alarm about potential human exposure via contaminated fruits or water". Henipaviruses have been held responsible for a few fatal outbreaks in the past. The newly identified Yunnan bat viruses, according to the study, share 52% to 57% of their genetic material with other counterparts. Apart from this, the team has also found a previously unknown single-celled parasite named Klossiella yunnanensis. FAQs 1. Is the China bat virus dangerous? New viruses found in bat kidneys in China's Yunnan 'underscore critical zoonotic threats,' the study authors said. They added that the potential for such viruses to infect humans or animals needs urgent attention. 2. Will there be another pandemic from bats? As of now, researchers have not indicated about another pandemic. 3. What virus is spreading in China? Researchers have found at least 20 new viruses within bats in the country.
Time of India
12 hours ago
- Time of India
Indigenous rapid detection kit ready to detect Nipah virus with 100% accuracy: Director, ICMR-NIV
Pune: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has developed a portable test kit for detecting Nipah virus cases with 100 per cent accuracy, which can provide results within 1- 2 hours. According to Dr Naveen Kumar, Director, ICMR-NIV, Pune, "Based on amplification of viral gene without the need for a specialised machine at the field level. It's 100 per cent sensitive and specific." This test can provide results in "1-2 hours". The Nipah virus is a Zoonotic virus that primarily spreads through fruit bats, and the virus has a 50% mortality rate, making it one of the most dangerous viral diseases. The cost of the test is 250 rupees, and the name of this kit is Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for rapid detection of Nipah virus. Meanwhile, Monoclonal antibody development is underway in collaboration with Zydus Health Sciences, Ahmedabad and Translational Health Sciences Technology Institute, Faridabad. The ICMR is also working on an indigenous vaccine for the Nipah virus. The National Institute of Virology (NIV) is the only lab in the country that cultures the Nipah virus. Nipah virus (NiV) is a zoonotic virus (it is transmitted from animals to humans) and can also be transmitted through contaminated food or directly between people. In infected people, it causes a range of illnesses from asymptomatic (subclinical) infection to acute respiratory illness and fatal encephalitis. The symptoms of the Nipah virus are fever, headaches, muscle pain, vomiting, sore throat, dizziness, altered consciousness, and Atypical pneumonia. Outbreaks of Nipah Virus Disease (NiVD) have been reported in Kerala, with the most recent one occurring in 2023 in the Kozhikode district.
