- Scientists at the Institute of Advanced Virology (IAV), Thiruvananthapuram developed a novel way of generating non-infectious Nipah Virus-Like Particles (VLPs) in the laboratory.
- These VLPs allow scientists to test vaccines and treatments for the Nipah virus in safer labs with lower safety requirements (BSL-2), making the research process safer and more accessible.
About Virus-Like Particles (VLPs):
- The VLPs are molecules that closely resemble viruses, but are non-infectious. They have long been recognised as effective quantitative platforms for studying viral binding and entry kinetics of the virus.
- They are minute particles, typically ranging from 20 to 200 nanometers in radius, this small size allows them to navigate through the body and reach the lymph nodes efficiently, where they can activate the immune system.
Composition of VLPS:
They are composed of one or more structural proteins. These proteins can arrange themselves in layers, and some VLPs even have an outer lipid envelope that replicates the structure of a virus’s protective shell.
Application of VLPS:
While current VLP vaccines effectively protect against several different diseases, including hepatitis B, human papillomavirus infection and malaria, the use of the VLP approach in other vaccines has been limited due to challenges with stability, difficulty in manufacturing, high production costs and sensitivity to temperature.
Benefits of VLPs:
- VLP vaccines can be produced using bacterial, yeast, insect, or mammalian cells.
- When introduced into the body, they trigger an immune response just like a real virus.
- However, since VLPs lack genetic material, they cannot cause illness, this controlled exposure allows the body to develop immunity to the specific virus the VLP mimics due to their high-density display of epitopes and the capacity to present multiple proteins to the immune system.
- It has been employed as nanomachines to deliver pharmaceutically active products to specific sites and into specific cells in the body.
About Nipha Virus (NiV):
- Nipah Virus (NiV) is a severe and often fatal zoonotic disease,meaning it can be transmitted from animals to humans. It is a significant public health concern due to its high mortality rate and potential for outbreaks.
- Transmission: It is a zoonotic disease that can be transmitted to humans through direct contact with infected animals, especially bats and pigs. Nipah virus infection can be transmitted through contaminated food or directly from person to person.
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Natural Reservoir: Fruit Bats (also known as flying foxes) are believed to be the natural reservoir/primary carriers of the Nipah virus.
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Symptoms:
- The initial symptoms of NiV infection can be similar to those of influenza: Fever, muscle pain, and respiratory problems (similar to that of influenza).
- Inflammation of the brain as well as late onset of Encephalitis can also occur.
- The case fatality rate is between 65 percent and 100 percent.
- Treatment: NiV is on the top-10 priority list of pathogens identified by the World Health Organization. Currently, there are no approved vaccines available against NiV.