• UGI USER
  • Jun 03, 2024
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IAV DEVELOPS NEW METHOD FOR NIPAH ANTIBODIES WITH VIRUS-LIKE PARTICLES

Why in the news?

  • Scientists at the Institute of Advanced Virology (IAV) in Thonnakkal developed a method for producing non-infectious Nipah virus-like particles (VLPs) in the lab.
  • These VLPs mimic the wild-type Nipah Virus (NiV), offering a safe and effective platform for developing neutralizing antibodies against NiV in a biosafety level-2 (BSL) laboratory.
source:medium

About the Institute of Advanced Virology (IAV):

  • Affiliations:
    • Affiliated with the Global Virus Network (GVN), the Institute of Advanced Virology (IAV) is a pioneering research institute.
  • Location:
    • Situated at the Bio 360 Life Sciences Park in Thonnakkal, Thiruvananthapuram.
  • Background:
    • Proposed during the Nipah Virus outbreak last year, the institute aims to address emerging infectious diseases promptly.
  • Mandate:
    • Tasked with confirming and detecting viruses quickly, the institute’s network of virologists facilitates rapid detection and prevention of virus-borne diseases like Nipah.
Understanding Nipah Virus:

  • Nature of Nipah Virus:
  • Newly emerging zoonosis causing severe disease in humans and animals.
  • Belongs to the Henipavirus genus, a type of RNA virus.
  • Rapid and fatal spread with a mortality rate of up to 70%.

Transmission and Spread:

  • Airborne transmission infection primarily from direct contact with infected animals such as pigs or bats.
  • Bats, the natural hosts, shed the virus through excreta and secretions.
  • Human-to-human transmission documented; direct contact with pigs is a prime mode of transmission.

Origin and Identification:

  • First identified in Malaysia’s Kampung Sungai Nipah and Singapore in 1998.
  • Initially caused outbreaks in pigs and transferred to humans.
  • Natural hosts of the virus are fruit bats of the Pteropus genus, according to the World Health Organization.