The Hindu : National : Chikungunya virus with deviant genetic profile detected in Lakshadweep

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Wednesday, Aug 22, 2007
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Chikungunya virus with deviant genetic profile detected in Lakshadweep

S. Vijay Kumar

MADURAI: The Centre for Research in Medical Entomology (CRME), a premier laboratory of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), here has detected an unusual virus that caused chikungunya in the Lakshadweep islands during 2006-07.

The CRME has alerted the Lakshadweep health authorities to take steps to protect the people there from getting affected and also prevent mosquitoes from proliferating further.

Confirming this to The Hindu on Tuesday, B.K. Tyagi, Director (in-charge) of CRME, said that a team of scientists that conducted detailed investigation on mosquito samples collected from Lakshadweep concluded that the virus had R 20;deviant” genetic profile compared to the Central East African virus that spread chikungunya in Tamil Nadu last year.

“Every possible step should be taken to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes carrying this virus. The immunity against the deviant virus in humans is being studied. Investigations are on to ascertain whether this virus caused the outbreak of chikungunya in Kerala in May/June this year,” he said.

Soon after reports of chikungunya came in from Lakshadweep, scientists attached to the CRME, the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, New Delhi, and the National Vector-borne Disease Control Programme rushed to the islands to conduct field investigations. “Discovery of this virus is an eye-opener in the sense that its propagation to the mainland can now be prevented. The virus is possibly trying to change its identity by genetically recombining with an existing strain [variety].”

Asked what would be the impact of the deviant virus on humans, Dr. Tyagi said it could prolong joint pain or cause intense fever.

The suspicion that this virus might have prevailed in Kerala was supported by the volume of suspected cases reported.

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