SCMS INSTITUTE OF BIOSCIENCE AND BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Management House, South Kalamassery, Cochin – 682 033

DIAGNOSTIC METHOD FOR DETECTING CHIK VIRUS BY RT PCR

SCMS Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology Research and Development  (SIBB-R&D) has developed a PCR based method for detecting Chikungunya virus from human serum sample.  Samples were collected from Ernakulam and Pathanamthitta districts. Our research team has standardized an RT-PCR protocol using specific primers from the conserved regions of CHIK Viral RNA. This is the first time a PCR-based method is being used for detecting CHIK Virus in Kerala.  This method is rapid, sensitive and CHIK virus specific.

Sixty percent of the samples collected from Ernakulam district were tested positive for CHIK virus by RT-PCR indicating prevalence of Chikungunya in Ernakulam area.  Since the serum samples collected from Pathanamthitta were tested negative for CHIK Virus, it is possible that those patients may be affected by  some other virus showing similar symptoms.

	Lane 1-100bp Ladder             Lane 2-Ekm04Nsp1             Lane 3-Ekm04E1
	Lane 1-100bp Ladder             Lane 2-Ekm01 Nsp1             Lane 3-Ekm01 E1                    Lane 4-Pta01 Nsp1             Lane 5-Ekm05 Nsp1             Lane 6-Ekm05 E1             Lane 7-Ekm06 Nsp1             Lane 8-Ekm06 E1