Indian military research center has developed a kit that can detect the H1N1 virus in a matter of few hours. The deadly swine flu virus killed around 2,000 people in India in an outbreak in 2015.
While current tests to detect the swine flu virus takes two to three days, the new kit delivers results in two to three hours.
Swine Flu
Swine flu, a type of influenza caused by a new strain of the H1N1 Type A influenza virus has originated from the pigs. Winter always brings along the chills and the flu, make sure you''re safe this season.
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Developed by the Gwalior-based Defence Research and Development Establishment (DRDE), the kit is cost-effective and it is expected to be priced at around Rs.2,000 ($30), while the present tests can cost anything between Rs.4,500 and Rs.10,000 in the peak season.
"While conventional identification methods require time-consuming culturing and detection of anti-bodies, this kit uses a gene amplification method and is based on the principle of auto-cyclic strand displacement mechanism," said a DRDO official.
![Uttar Pradesh Will Now Have 3 New Labs to Test Swine Flu and Other Viral Diseases]( "Uttar Pradesh Will Now Have 3 New Labs to Test Swine Flu and Other Viral Diseases")
Viral Diagnostic Labs in the Indian state will be operational to test for five kinds of viral diseases - flu, dengue, encephalitis, chikungunya and hepatitis.
The DRDO, which leads defence research in the country, focused on developing the kit in view of possible enhanced use of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear warfare (CBRN) in future, the official said.
"The technology has been handed over to some interested manufacturers. It will now be up to the government to decide if it wants to use it at a larger level," the official added.
Swine flu has claimed well over two thousand lives in India till March this year with the total number of cases crossing the 33,000 mark, according to the health ministry. Rajasthan and Gujarat were the worst affected states.
Source: Medindia
Uttar Pradesh Will Now Have 3 New Labs to Test Swine Flu and Other Viral Diseases
Viral Diagnostic Labs in the Indian state will be operational to test for five kinds of viral diseases - flu, dengue, encephalitis, chikungunya and hepatitis.
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The DRDO, which leads defence research in the country, focused on developing the kit in view of possible enhanced use of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear warfare (CBRN) in future, the official said.
"The technology has been handed over to some interested manufacturers. It will now be up to the government to decide if it wants to use it at a larger level," the official added.
Swine flu has claimed well over two thousand lives in India till March this year with the total number of cases crossing the 33,000 mark, according to the health ministry. Rajasthan and Gujarat were the worst affected states.
Source: Medindia
Summer Rain Spikes Swine Flu Death Toll to 400 in Maharashtra
State health officials say an average of five people are succumbing to the H1N1 virus every day. The number of recorded cases has exceeded 4,480 this year.
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 Swine Flu Tests in Lucknow are Done Only After Patients Provide Contact DetailsHealth officials have been monitoring localities from where swine flu cases have been reported so far. | Advertisement
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