Research Projects

Bats are an important source of highly infectious pathogens, such as Nipah, Marburg and Ebola virus. A survey was conducted to determine the circulation of Nipah virus among Pteropus giganteus bats from West Bengal and Assam states of Northeast region of India and also understand the activity of NiV in archived / hospitalized AES (Japanese encephalitis negative) cases hailing from North Eastern border areas especially in Dhubri District of Assam. Blood and organs of captured bats were screened for Nipah by Real time RT?PCR, RT?PCR and ELISA. Sequences showed 99% identity with earlier reported Indian Nipah virus strain. During the survey, presence of Nipah virus was observed for the first time from Dhubri district, Assam State with the circulation of Nipah in West Bengal State. Most of the Nipah IgM positive cases were from Dhubri district of Assam (57%; 15/26). The presence of Nipah in Assam State indicates its spread to new region. Considering the high risk it is necessary to do active surveillance of Nipah virus among human populations and reservoirs in other states of Northeast region of India. During the survey for Nipah virus among bats at North East region of India; Tioman virus (TioV), a new member of the Paramyxoviridae family was isolated from tissues of Pteropus giganteus bats for the first time in India8. The virus isolate was identified and confirmed by RT?PCR, sequence analysis and electron microscopy. The study confirms the presence of Tioman virus for the first time in India from Pteropus bats, and highlights the necessity of active countrywide surveillance of bats?borne viruses.