Hyderabad: Low-cost diagnostic kit developed for Brucellosis

Hyderabad: The National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB) has developed a new generation budget-friendly in-vitro diagnostic kit for Brucellosis, an infectious zoonotic disease.

A team led by Dr Girish Radhakrishnan at NIAB, Hyderabad, identified a protein candidate from Brucella-infected animals with promising diagnostic potential. The group then developed in-vitro diagnostic (IVD) kits, such as indirect ELISA (Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) and Lateral Flow Assay, using the identified protein. The IVD kits can be used to detect animal and human Brucellosis.

“Unlike other assays, the protein/peptide-based IVD kits developed at NIAB exhibited excellent DIVA capability where it could differentiate vaccinated cattle from naturally infected animals. These indigenously developed IVD kits with DIVA capability are cost-effective and affordable for farmers,” said NIAB director Dr G Taru Sharma, adding that NIAB has not only filed a patent for the DIVA capable assays, but has transferred the technology to Engrave Bio Labs, Hyderabad, for its commercialization.

Brucellosis is endemic in different parts of the world, including Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and the Mediterranean basin.

This disease poses a serious threat to public health and accounts for huge losses in the livestock sector. The reported annual median loss in India owing to the disease is to the tune of ₹22,800 crore.

Brucellosis is a bacterial disease caused by the intracellular pathogen Brucella. This bacteria infects different cell populations in the body and hijacks the immune system.

Brucellosis can manifest into reproductive health issues in animals such as abortion, dead offspring, low milk yield and sterility. While in humans, brucellosis can be multi-symptomatic with fever, chills, and can cause severe systemic failure in untreated cases.

“Early detection of the disease, mass vaccination of livestock with live attenuated vaccines such as B abortus S19 for cattle and culling/quarantine of the infected animals are major preventive and controlling measures to tame brucellosis,” said Sharma.