NIV Pune isolates first virus strain of monkeypox

The ICMR’s National Institute of Virology in Pune has isolated India’s first monkeypox strain.

“With this development, the Indian Council for Medical Research is floating an expression of interest (EOI) for pharma companies to enhance the options for development of vaccines and diagnostic kits,” Prof Priya Abraham, director, ICMR-NIV said.

India has reported four cases of monkeypox so far. While three lab-confirmed cases have been reported from Kerala, a 34–year-old man is in Lok Nayak Hospital in New Delhi for treatment.

“As far as monkeypox disease is concerned, this virus should not create panic because it is not as easily spread through the respiratory route as in the case of covid-19 virus. Unless an individual has prolonged face-to-face contact with an infected person, it is unlikely to spread via the respiratory route” Abraham said.

“Of course, close physical contact as well as coming into contact with used linen, clothing, etc. of an infected person are the other routes of transmission of infection,” she added.

The EOI, seen by Mint, said, “ICMR, New Delhi, invites EOI through email from the experienced vaccine manufacturer/pharma companies/ R&D Institutions/in-vitro diagnostic (IVD) kit manufacturers for joint collaboration in the following two categories–(i) development of vaccine candidate against monkeypox disease, (ii) development of diagnostic kits for diagnosis of monkeypox virus infection. The last day for participating in the EOI is 10 August.”

Dr Nivedita Gupta, head of division of epidemiology & communicable diseases at ICMR, said, “There is no need to panic but it is important to create awareness about the risk factors and sensitize people about the preventive measures for monkeypox and avoidance of high risk behaviour.”

As per ICMR, the genomic sequence of the Indian strains has 99.85% match with the West African strains circulating globally.