Search This Blog

Thursday, October 13, 2011

India : Mice may reveal what killed 16 in Sindhudurg

Authorities are still trying to figure out what is this mysterious disease which has been killing people in Sindhudurg, India. My original post with regards to this dated 04th October picked up the first report. Let's see what unfolds, mean while here's the excerpt from today's article from Mid Day :

" A team of experts from the National Institute of Virology is now using the animal model testing procedure to figure out 'mystery disease'

Even after five bodies of experts failed to detect the identity of the mystery bug that has caused 16 deaths in Sindhudurg in the past three months, the bewildered state health department has asked the team from the National Institute of Virology (NIV) to expedite the search process, and provide it with some much-needed answers. The body of experts from the nation's apex body in virus research is now injecting serum samples in mice, so as to examine their pathological response to its presence in their bloodstream, and deduce the identity of the pathogen that could have cause the mysterious deaths.

MiD DAY had reported in its October 3 ('Mystery illness kills 16'), about the John Doe bug to which 16 residents of Sindhudurg succumbed in the past three months, all exhibiting the common symptom of respiratory failure.

Scientists on the rolls of NIV have now launched an advanced research module, which involves injecting the serums samples collected from Sindhudurg into mice.

"In the animal model testing procedure, we will observe the injected mice, and see if they start exhibiting the same symptoms that were noted in the deceased. We will then study the pathological changes visible in the mice, and hopefully detect the agent causing them," said Dr Vidya Aranpale, senior director, NIV.

Meanwhile, a team from the Microbiology and Preventive Social medicine department of Pune's BJ medical College has examined samples from seven close associates of the victims, who also reported similar symptoms. Of these, six have tested positive for Leptospirosis."

No comments:

Post a Comment