Nipah hotspots across India? Here’s why scientists are conducting bat survey to look for next zoonotic disease outbreak

Scientists at the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Virology (ICMR-NIV) have undertaken a nationwide bat surveillance to check for zoonotic diseases. The scientists are taking bat samples and testing for the Nipah virus.

Senior ICMR-NIV scientist Dr Pragya Yadav told The Indian Express that the survey would help identify Nipah virus hotspots. Based on this, the scientists will take up hospital surveillance.

The senior scientist, in charge of Biosafety Laboratory IV at NIV, was key to isolating the SARS-CoV-2 virus. She was leading the effort to carry out animal studies for the development of indigenous vaccines ZyCoV-D and Covaxin. Dr Yavdav was awarded the Bharat Bhagya Vidhata Samman by the Union Ministry of Culture in Delhi on March 30.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Dr Yadav said the past two years had been really challenging, especially for NIV, as it was India’s premier institute in the fight against the pandemic. She said she led the team that isolated the first virus in India early on during the pandemic in February 2020, followed by the development of Covaxin, in collaboration with Bharat Biotech International.

The NIV team is working on multiple projects in emerging and highly infectious diseases and also finishing work on Covid-19 projects, including breakthrough, re-infection, mucormycosis (black fungus), and pathogenicity studies of variants of concern, Dr Yadav told The Indian Express.

Dr Yadav, who was involved in the isolation of Alpha, Beta, Delta, Eta, and Omicron strains and carrying out efficacy studies of vaccines against these variants, also conducted animal studies for ZyCov-D and pathogenicity studies of emerging strains in animals. She said teamwork, timely data reporting, rapid publication, and vaccine development were possible because of hard work during the pandemic.

To NIV team also developed their tests such as Covid Kavach Elisa. The lab staff members stayed on campus during experiments, lockdown, and were isolated from the general population and family members.

Lab diagnostics, biosafety and containment procedures, and transport and handling of infectious materials are part of pandemic preparedness that the ICMR has started, Dr Yadav said, adding that they were a part of that preparedness.