India: Scientists at the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune, operating under the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), have successfully developed a portable diagnostic kit that can detect the deadly Nipah virus within minutes. The new kit, which is based on Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) technology, allows for rapid on-the-spot testing without the need for a traditional lab setup, according to NIV Director Dr. Naveen Kumar.
“This point-of-care kit provides results in a matter of minutes and can be used outside a laboratory,” Dr. Kumar noted. “It has already been patented and will soon be distributed in states at high risk for Nipah outbreaks, especially Kerala and West Bengal.”
The Nipah virus, which can be transmitted to humans from fruit bats, has proven to be one of the most dangerous infections, with fatality rates exceeding 50%. The highest safety level required to culture this virus is only present at NIV Pune, which is also leading research into genomic studies, treatments, and vaccine development.
Senior scientist at NIV, Dr. Pragya Yadav, confirmed that the institute is working closely with pharmaceutical companies and other research bodies to create monoclonal antibodies as a potential therapy. Furthermore, the team is advancing an indigenous vaccine that could enter trial phases in the near future.
Current data show that the Nipah cases reported in India, including those in West Bengal and Kerala, mostly belong to the Genotype B strain — the same strain seen in Bangladesh — known for its aggressive spread and severity. By contrast, the Malaysian variant (Genotype M) is comparatively less infectious.
Since the first Nipah case in India appeared in West Bengal in 2001 — with a fatality rate of 74% — the region witnessed a 100% fatality rate during the 2007 outbreak. Kerala faced its first major Nipah outbreak in 2018, resulting in 16 deaths. The state has seen recurring cases since then, bringing its overall death toll to 19.
Dr. Yadav, who has conducted several Nipah-focused studies, noted that serological surveys revealed Nipah antibodies in 20% of bat samples taken from nine states and one Union Territory, suggesting that the virus has circulated in wildlife populations across the country for some time.
