India isolates A(H1N1) virus

India: Scientists from India successfully isolated the A(H1N1) virus in nasal samples from the only positive patient with that kind of flu in the city of Hyderabad, The Times of India daily reported on Friday.

Experts of the National Virology Institute (NIV), in the Pune district, were also able to culture the virus in cell lines and chicken eggs, which are the first steps to developing an effective vaccine against the A(H1N1).

The influenza viruses require a host cell to grow or replicate. If it grew in the egg, what the Indian scientists were able to do is produce multiple copies in laboratories and use them to create a vaccine, the daily explained.

NIV Director, Dr. A.C. Mishra, told The Times of India that by the first week of July, the experts of his institution will be able to document as much information about the virus, which has already reached India, as they can. That includes the virus’ transmissibility powers, virulence level, how similar it is to the virus that affected Canada, Mexico, and the United States, as well as its behavioural characteristics, said the director.

The daily also reported that the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, in Delhi, the only other bio-safety level III (BSL III) laboratory in India apart from NIV, is analyzing the infected human sample and also trying to isolate the virus.

India confirmed its first positive case of influenza A(H1N1) on May 16. The person was a 23-year-old student that arrived in Hyderabad from the United States already infected. The scientists have stated that they can find the virus in infected samples, collected from patients within the first 24-48 hours after the symptoms appear and before the prescribed medicines are administered.

The Health Ministry Deputy Secretary Vineet Chawdhry said this is a new type of virulence and they have not determined yet how it will behave in the subcontinent, if it will be more infectious or not among India’s population.

He also said they are trying to find answers to these concerns.

According to the World Health Organization, 48 countries have confirmed 13,398 cases of A(H1N1) infection and reported 95 deaths.

India has continued to screen passengers coming from the affected countries, and 43,000 travellers have been checked until May 28.

New Delhi, Prensa Latina