NIV clears WHO test, is reference lab for region

Pune-BASED National Institute of Virology has withstood the critical test by World Health Organisation...

Pune-BASED National Institute of Virology (NIV) has withstood the critical test by World Health Organisation (WHO) experts who have now designated the institute as a WHO H5 reference laboratory in the South East Asia region. Not only will NIV play a major role in surveillance of avian influenza (bird flu) and research in the country but also in the region.

This means that NIV results on any sample tested for avian influenza virus will be accepted by the international community without any further verification, says Dr A C Mishra, Director of NIV. He told The Indian Express that it was a great honour for the laboratory and country.

The recognition was awarded after a critical review of the capacity and infrastructure at NIV by a team of international experts from WHO, Geneva. The team included heads of collaborating centres in USA, UK, Japan and influenza coordinators at WHO.

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According to Mishra, earlier it was mandatory to refer human samples to one of the four collaborating centres located at USA, UK, Japan and Australia or to one of the H5 laboratories in Hong Kong, Germany or Egypt.

NIV is one of the major institutes of the Indian Council of Medical Research and the research activities of the centre were made more meaningful and self-reliant by organising new areas of research such as cell repository, electron microscopy, hepatitis, influenza and related viruses.

NIV also conducts studies on Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), rotavirus gastroenteritis, rabies, measles and polio.

After 2006, bird flu has hit India again and in the recent past eight Asian countries were affected by the outbreak of this disease. H5NI mainly affects poultry and wild birds but can infect humans who have close contact with sick fowl.

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Mishra said there were no human samples yet, but scientists fear that if the virus spreads unchecked it could mutate into a form that can be transmitted between humans leading to worldwide pandemic.

The NIV also has another facility— its microbial containment complex (MCC) with P-3 biosafety levels for handling microorganisms of highly infectious nature- like the SARS virus and Ebola virus among others.