Latest news with #InfectiousBronchitisVirus
The Star
10-06-2025
- Health
- The Star
Sabah's silent health threat
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah could face the next major infectious disease outbreak if nothing is done to strengthen biosurveillance and reduce human-wildlife contact, according to an expert. Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) Biotechnology Research Institute researcher Prof Dr Vijay Kumar said the state's environmental richness was its strength and also its greatest vulnerability with emerging infectious diseases. He said Sabah's natural wealth was extraordinary, but that same biodiversity made it a hotspot for potential disease spillovers. 'We're seeing more pathogens jump from animals to humans – not just in isolated cases, but across multiple fronts. From zoonotic malaria to emerging coronaviruses and outbreaks in livestock, the risks are real, growing, and deeply concerning. 'We cannot afford to be complacent. Every delay in surveillance and every missed opportunity to act early increases the risk of another major outbreak – one that can cripple our healthcare system, disrupt livelihoods and damage Sabah's reputation as a biodiversity haven,' he added in a statement yesterday. Prof Vijay said the rising threats underscored the importance of adopting the One Health approach, which integrated human, animal and environmental health to tackle zoonotic diseases in a coordinated and proactive way. Sabah is seeing a rise in diseases that can jump from animals to humans, like malaria from macaques, coronaviruses from bats, diseases in poultry, and infections from rodents, mainly because people are moving into natural areas more. He highlighted the danger posed by the plasmodium knowlesi, a malaria parasite spread from macaques via mosquitoes, which formed the bulk of malaria cases in the state. Prof Vijay said researchers have also discovered several new coronaviruses in bat populations, on the back of the SARS and Covid-19 global outbreaks. Infectious disease risks also extend to the agricultural sector, as evidenced by the 2018 outbreak of H5N1 avian influenza in the state, which led to the culling of thousands of poultry. 'While no human cases were confirmed, antibodies detected in individuals pointed to previous exposure. 'Other poultry diseases, such as the Newcastle Disease Virus and Infectious Bronchitis Virus, continue to challenge farmers as local strains render existing vaccines less effective,' he added. Sabah's animal health concerns are not limited to land-based species. In the waters around Mabul Island, rising cases of sea turtle fibropapillomatosis, a tumour-causing herpesvirus, are threatening endangered marine life. Prof Vijay said African Swine Fever has decimated both wild and farmed pig populations, disrupting ecosystems and affecting traditional hunting in indigenous communities. 'Urban and environmental threats are just as pressing. Soil- and water-borne infections such as melioidosis and leptospirosis remain endemic in Sabah, while rats in urban centres have been found carrying bartonella bacteria, posing a largely unnoticed risk to city dwellers,' he added. Prof Vijay noted that many of these risks arise from unregulated human activities. 'Poaching, illegal wildlife trade, agricultural expansion, and deforestation are increasing our contact with animals that may carry unknown pathogens,' he stated. He cautioned that large-scale development projects like Indonesia's new capital Nusantara in East Kalimantan may further fragment Borneo's ecosystems, intensifying human-wildlife conflict and accelerating the spread of new diseases. To counter these threats, Prof Vijay and his colleague Assoc Prof Dr Zarina Amin called for a stronger One Health framework to, among others, enhance genomic surveillance, incorporate AI to detect emerging pathogens early and increase awareness among the rural and indigenous communities. They also recommended promoting conservation-focused land-use policies to reduce ecological disruptions, and they urged the government to prioritise long-term investment in biosurveillance. 'Investing in biosurveillance is no longer optional. It's essential if we want to protect not only public health but also Sabah's economy, food security and conservation efforts,' Prof Vijay said. He also called for the formation of an interdisciplinary task force to unite virologists, conservationists, AI specialists, public health experts and policymakers to drive One Health collaboration in the state.
Time of India
07-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
IIT Guwahati harnesses clay sedimentation to identify and measure Coronavirus
Guwahati: Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati researchers have developed a novel method for detecting and measuring the amount of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The innovative approach is based on how quickly a clay-virus-electrolyte mixture settles; a process commonly known as sedimentation, offering a simple and affordable alternative to the complex and expensive methods currently in use for virus detection. The findings of this research have been published in the prestigious peer-reviewed journal, Applied Clay Science, in a paper co-authored by Prof. T V Bharat, Department of Civil Engineering, and Prof. Sachin Kumar, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, along with research scholars Dr Himanshu Yadav and Deepa Mehta at IIT Guwahati . Posing a threat to human lives globally, COVID-19 pandemic revealed a critical gap in how viral infections are detected and tracked. Current methods, such as Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), are highly sensitive but time-consuming and require heavy equipment. Similarly, the antigen testing is fast but lacks accuracy, while antibody testing is used after the infection has occurred, highlighting limitations at various levels. Additionally, many of these methods are not practical in resource-limited settings or during large-scale outbreaks. To address these gaps, Prof. T V Bharat, Dept. of Civil Engineering, IIT Guwahati, along with his research team has used Bentonite clay, a clay well known for its ability to absorb pollutants and heavy metals due to its unique chemical structure in collaboration with Prof. Sachin Kumar, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering. Previous studies have shown that clay particles can bind with viruses and bacteriophages, making it a promising material for virus detection. The research team focused on how Bentonite clay interacts with virus particles in a salt environment. The research team found that a Coronavirus surrogate and Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV) bind to the negatively charged clay surfaces at a controlled room temperature and a neutral pH of 7. Speaking about the findings of the research, Prof. T V Bharat said, "Imagine a world where detecting viruses is as simple as watching sand settle in water. That is the breakthrough we have achieved! Our new method uses clay to quickly identify and measure viruses, like the coronavirus. By observing how the clay settles in a solution, we can determine if a virus is present and how much of it there is. This innovative approach offers a faster, more affordable, and accurate alternative to current methods, paving the way for better disease monitoring and treatment strategies, especially during pandemics, this study is in continuation with our recent studies published in prestigious journals like Langmuir in developing exclusive biomedical waste facilities for disposing pathogenic waste sponsored by Department of Science and Technology, Government of India." The research team validated their findings using established virus-detection methods, including plaque assay for a coronavirus surrogate and RT-PCR for IBV. The developed technique produced accurate results in comparison to the standard detection methods, reinforcing its reliability. Notably, the method can be extended to detect other viruses such as the Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV), which affects poultry and causes major losses in the farming industry. This development holds great promise for improving how viral outbreaks are monitored and controlled, especially in regions where expensive lab equipment and trained personnel are not readily available. With further refinement, the method could be adapted for use in field kits or simple laboratory setups, making virus detection more accessible and efficient in future public health emergencies. As the next step, the research team is planning to collaborate with industry partners with medical facilities for clinical trials for SARS-Cov-2 and other viruses. By partnering with industry, the research team hopes to leverage the resources and expertise necessary to conduct robust clinical trials and ultimately contribute to the global effort to combat viral infections.
India Today
07-06-2025
- Health
- India Today
IIT Guwahati develops low-cost way to measure COVID-19 using clay
A research team at IIT Guwahati has come up with a new way to detect the virus that causes COVID-19 -- using clay and salt water. This method doesn't rely on heavy lab equipment or complex tests. Instead, it watches how a mix of clay, virus, and salt water settles over time, a process known as study, led by Professor TV Bharat from the Department of Civil Engineering and Professor Sachin Kumar from the Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, explores the use of Bentonite for sticking to pollutants, this clay also binds with viruses when placed in the right environment -- room temperature and a neutral pH.'Think of it like watching mud settle in a glass of water,' Prof. Bharat explained. 'The way the clay falls can tell us if a virus is there and how much of it is present.'The team tested the method using a virus similar to coronavirus and the Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV). They checked the results using existing detection tools like RT-PCR and plaque assays. The clay-based approach gave matching results -- without the need for expensive method could be useful not just for detecting COVID-19 but also other viruses, like those affecting poultry farms. It could be especially handy in places that don't have access to high-end researchers now plan to team up with medical labs and industry players to test this approach on real-world samples. If all goes well, they hope to turn it into a simple field kit for future idea -- watching how fast clay sinks -- could become part of how we deal with virus outbreaks in the future, especially in areas that need quick, low-cost solutions. advertisement
Hans India
06-06-2025
- Health
- Hans India
IIT Guwahati's clay sedimentation technique to accurately detect Covid virus
New Delhi: Amid the fresh wave of Covid-19, with more than 5,000 active cases, researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati developed a novel method to accurately detect and measure the amount of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid infection. The innovative approach is based on how quickly a clay-virus-electrolyte mixture settles: a process commonly known as sedimentation. The new technique offers a simple and affordable alternative to the complex and expensive methods like Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), antigen testing, and antibody testing -- currently in use for virus detection. The team used Bentonite clay -- a clay well known for its ability to absorb pollutants and heavy metals due to its unique chemical structure. Previous studies have shown that clay particles can bind with viruses and bacteriophages, making it a promising material for virus detection. In the study, researchers focused on how Bentonite clay interacts with virus particles in a salt environment. The results, published in the peer-reviewed journal Applied Clay Science, showed that a coronavirus surrogate and Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV) binds to the negatively charged clay surfaces at a controlled room temperature and a neutral pH of 7. 'Imagine a world where detecting viruses is as simple as watching sand settle in water. That is the breakthrough we have achieved! Our new method uses clay to quickly identify and measure viruses, like the coronavirus,' said Prof. T.V. Bharat, Dept. of Civil Engineering, IIT Guwahati. 'By observing how the clay settles in a solution, we can determine if a virus is present and how much of it there is. This innovative approach offers a faster, more affordable, and accurate alternative to current methods, paving the way for better disease monitoring and treatment strategies, especially during pandemics,' he added. The new technique produced accurate results in comparison to the standard detection methods, reinforcing its reliability. Notably, the method can be extended to detect other viruses such as the Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV), which affects poultry and causes major losses in the farming industry, said the researchers.
