NIV working on Japanese encephalitis vaccine

Scientists at National Institute of Virology are working on an indigenous vaccine for Japanese encephalitis.

Scientists at National Institute of Virology (NIV) are working on an indigenous vaccine for Japanese encephalitis (JE). Pune-based NIV has developed a candidate vaccine and have joined hands with Bharat Biotech for upgrading the product and testing it in humans,said Dr A C Mishra,NIV director.

Getting a vaccine for JE is on the priority list for the NIV and our local unit in Gorakhpur has had scientists engaged in the rapid diagnosis of the disease, Mishra told The Indian Express. Dr M M Gore,in-charge of the Gorakhpur unit of NIV who was in Pune on Tuesday,said JE was a viral disease which normally affects children below 15 and has no effective cure so far.

While the Union Health Ministry has planned a massive campaign in the next two months to administer the available Chinese vaccine to prevent JE,this is for the first time that move to find an Indian solution has got approval of the Drug Controller and General of India. (DCGI).

The Indian strain of the virus has been tested and the technology has been transferred to the pharma major. We have completed animal toxicity studies and the DCGI has given the clearance for the first phase of the human clinical trial to develop the vaccine, Mishra said.

The first phase will test the safety and the immunogenicity of the vaccine, he said,adding that NIV will provide laboratory support to the project.

The virus is transmitted to humans through pigs and the disease is prevalent mainly in Uttar Pradesh,North-East and southern states. According to Gore,another deadly disease has been ravaging eastern UP and has been identified as Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES). While locals refer the rising number of deaths and cases as Japani bukhar,majority are also caused due to AES. We had 500 cases at BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur alone, said Gore.

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