J Mitra & Company launches Dengue NS1 Antigen self-test kit

New Delhi: J Mitra & Company has launched the Dengue NS1 Antigen self-test kit. This is the first self-test/home-test kit launched by any company in India.

The Dengue NS1 Antigen self-test is a proactive tool that can detect the dengue NS1 antigen from day one as soon as the symptoms appear in patients. This early detection capability empowers individuals to take control of their health and seek timely medical intervention. NS1 Antigen can be detected in both primary and secondary dengue infections. However, NS1 is challenging to detect once anti-NS1 antibodies appear. NS1 antigen is present at high concentrations in the sera of dengue virus-infected patients during the early clinical phase of the disease.

Early Diagnosis of dengue infection is essential, especially in the severe cases of either dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) or dengue shock syndrome (DSS), which are significant causes of death. Dengue is one of the most rapidly spreading mosquito-borne viral diseases globally, with a substantial increase in incidence over the past decades.

Dengue incidence has increased 30-fold over the last 50 years, expanding to new countries and rural areas. An estimated 50 million dengue infections occur annually worldwide. In the current year, 2024, over 10 million cases have already been reported from 80 countries/territories. Dengue-related deaths in 2024 have exceeded 5,000 globally. The most affected regions include the Americas, Southeast Asia, and the Western Pacific. In the Americas, Brazil has reported the highest number of cases, followed by Argentina, Paraguay, Peru, and Colombia

Dengue is amongst the top 10 most communicable diseases in India, and the most affected states include Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala, Delhi, Rajasthan, Punjab and Odisha.