MGR university to get genome lab

MGR university to get genome lab

To Track Virus Causing Covid-19

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:30.06.2021 

Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University, which has a nationally accredited microbiology and immunology lab, will soon get a whole genome sequencing lab, said health minister Ma Subramanian on Tuesday. The lab, which will soon be functional, will track mutation of SARSCoV-2, the virus causing Covid-19, he said.

After a review meeting with the senior officials including the vice-chancellor Dr Sudha Seshayyan, the minister said the university has accredited labs for diagnosis and research on diseases such as chikungunya, dengue and leptospirosis and has been carrying out RT-PCR tests for Covid-19. “It has now been decided that this university will soon have a whole genome sequencing facility,” he told reporters. University officials told the health department that they had all the necessary equipment and would be able to start work if they were provided with consumables.

Scientists predict that new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 may increase chances of infection and make treatment and prevention more complex. As the virus multiplies, tiny changes or mutations accumulate in the genetic code. The Directorate of Public Health had proposed to set up a whole genome sequencing lab to keep a close track of the mutations.

Tamil Nadu sends samples to the Bengaluru-based Instem as per recommendations of the Centre. Instem is a part of INSACOG (a consortium of labs that track the presence of variants in Covid samples). The state categorised samples from across the state in categories – family clusters, community clusters, Covid in children, young adults with severe lung infection, breakthrough infections (infected 14 days after two vaccinations), samples from deceased and travellers. "These categories will give us more information about what kind of variants are seen in each of these categories. But having a lab of our own will give us better advantages,” he said.

Variants of concern The state had sent 1,159 samples to Instem. The lab results of 1,100 of the samples with 814 (74%) testing positive for Delta and four testing positive for Delta plus variants. The remaining samples contained other variants including Alpha and Beta.

The National Institute of Virology, Pune, which tested samples sent by National Institute of Epidemiology found six more samples positive for the delta plus. “At least five people in Chennai, three in Tiruvallur, one each in Kancheepuram and Madurai carried the Delta plus strain. While all of them had recovered, the 34-year-old patient from Madurai died,” said health secretary J Radhakrishnan. “Scientists told us that most people carried the Delta variant in the second wave,” he said.

Scientists predict that new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 may increase chances of infection and make treatment and prevention more complex