The National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune, functioning under ICMR, has developed a portable, LAMP-based ‘point-of-care’ test kit capable of detecting the Nipah virus with rapid results - even outside laboratory environments . Speaking on June 24, Dr. Naveen Kumar, Director of NIV, announced that the patented kit delivers results within minutes, making it suitable for deployment in high-risk areas like Kerala and West Bengal.
This innovative kit addresses the urgent need for accessible Nipah virus detection, as the virus - carried by fruit bats - has a mortality rate over 50% and has previously caused outbreaks in India . Developed jointly by ICMR-NIV and industry partners through a technology transfer initiative, it offers 100% sensitivity and specificity, detects virus genes via LAMP without sophisticated equipment, and costs just around ₹250 per test .
Complementing this diagnostic advance, NIV continues research efforts on monoclonal antibodies and an indigenous Nipah vaccine, both in early development stages. The field-ready kit marks a major milestone in India’s preparedness against deadly viral threats, potentially transforming outbreak response and containment strategies.
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