India working on indigenous kit to test monkeypox as cases on the rise

India is now developing its indigenous test kit for monkeypox after four laboratory (lab)-confirmed cases of the disease in the country. Makers of the TrueNat real-time polymerase chain reaction, the world’s only point-of-care platform used by the World Health Organization (WHO) to detect tuberculosis, is developing the test kit for monkeypox, indicated government sources.

“The reagents (chemicals) used to test for monkeypox are not made in India. Also, the diagnostic kit used to test for the disease is imported. The virus research and diagnostic labs (VRDLs) under the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) are using imported kits to confirm suspected cases of monkeypox,” informed a senior government official.

At present, 15 VRDLs are equipped to test for monkeypox, including the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune, the source added.

India, however, is developing an indigenous kit to test for the disease. Goa-based molecular diagnostic company Molbio is developing the test kit and the Centre will help validate it, said the government official.

“In the initial days of Covid-19 when indigenous kits were developed, the ICMR validated them. Similarly, we will also validate this test developed locally,” added the source.

Molbio Founder Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sriram Natarajan confirmed the development and said the test kit is ready and awaiting ICMR validation. He added it would be affordably priced.

The Centre also plans to scale up testing for monkeypox from the current 15 VRDLs to 40 VRDLs of ICMR and 70 integrated disease surveillance programme labs under the National Centre for Disease Control.

“An explosion of cases of monkeypox is not expected. It does not spread as quickly or easily as Covid. Also, sample collection from monkeypox suspects needs technical expertise. The fluids are collected from lesions and sent to labs for testing,” said the official.

Meanwhile, private lab chains, too, are not far behind. A leading lab chain said it has started in-house development of the test in anticipation of demand from doctors. “We will be ready if the government decides to allow private testing,” a CEO of a lab chain told Business Standard.  

States gear up to fight monkeypox

Kerala Health Minister Veena George has said that the state has intensified the precautionary steps, including surveillance. Although Kerala has seen the first three cases of monkeypox in the country, all the primary contacts of these patients have tested negative.

“There is no need to panic like Covid. The fatality rate is much lower. We are taking all precautionary measures required for an infectious disease. Contact tracing has been done. We have a long incubation period of 21 days,” said Renuka R, district medical officer in Malappuram.

After the first case was reported, the Kerala government had started testing for monkeypox at the Alappuzha unit of NIV. The state has put in place a standard operating procedure — any person who travelled to a country that reported monkeypox and having red spots on the body, along with fever, headache, and bodyache, must immediately be reported.

“The spread of monkeypox happens mainly through direct contact. The Centre and state governments are creating awareness and taking enough steps,” said a member of a task force assigned to look into the spread of monkeypox in Kerala.  

In Telangana, a 40-year-old man who returned from Kuwait on July 6 was admitted to the isolation ward of the Government Fever Hospital in Hyderabad, after showing symptoms of monkeypox. His test results are awaited and his contacts under observation.

Maharashtra Health Secretary Pradeep Vyas told Business Standard that the state is taking all precautionary measures suggested by the guidelines of management of monkeypox issued by the Union health ministry.

“The focus is to spread accurate information about the disease and alert all stakeholders about the symptoms and what to watch out for and report,” said Vyas.

The Centre has asked to test anyone with a travel history to the affected nations who have developed an unexplained rash and/or other associated symptoms. It has asked states to actively contact trace individuals who have come in contact with other monkeypox patients.

Monkeypox vax maker considers 24-hour emergency production Bavarian Nordic A/S, the only company with a vaccine approved for monkeypox, said it’s preparing to run production through the night to meet surging demand after the virus outbreak was declared a global emergency by the WHO over the weekend. The flare-up of monkeypox has spread to about 16,000 people in more than 70 countries in just a few months.

Battling new threat

• Goa-based Molbio Diagnostics developing test kit for monkeypox
• India currently imports test kits and reagents for the rare infectious disease
• Centre testing monkeypox at 15 virus research and diagnostic laboratories of ICMR
• Plan is to ramp up testing to 40 VRDLs and 70 IDSP labs of NCDC