Centre Deploys National Outbreak Team To Intensify Chandipura Virus Investigation In Gujarat, Rajasthan

 

 

The central government has intensified its response to the ongoing Chandipura Virus Disease (CHPV) outbreak by deploying a National Joint Outbreak Response Team (NJORT) to Gujarat and Rajasthan while launching one of the country’s most comprehensive scientific investigations into the virus in recent years.

The move aims to better understand how the virus is spreading, whether it has undergone genetic changes, and the extent of infections in affected communities, an official from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare told ETV Bharat on Wednesday.

 

The multidisciplinary team, comprising experts from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), will work closely with the two state governments to strengthen outbreak investigation, epidemiological assessment, clinical management, laboratory coordination, vector surveillance and public health interventions.

The NCDC’s Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) has also been activated to coordinate the response and support field operations. The team will assess the situation on the ground and submit recommendations to the health ministry after completing its field investigations, the official added.

 

The deployment happens at the same time as a large nationwide research project that includes several top institutions, such as ICMR-National Institute of Epidemiology (Chennai), ICMR-National Institute of Vector Control Research (Puducherry), ICMR-National Institute of Virology (Pune), ICMR-National Institute for Pre-Clinical Research (Hyderabad), and ICAR-National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics (Bengaluru). These institutions are working in close coordination with the Gujarat Health Department to unravel the epidemiology and clinical behaviour of the virus.

 

The investigations bring together experts in epidemiology, virology, entomology, veterinary sciences, and laboratory diagnostics to understand the complete spectrum of Chandipura virus infection, ranging from mild fever to the potentially fatal acute encephalitis syndrome (AES).

“The findings will help shape evidence-based public health measures and improve preparedness against future outbreaks,” the official stated.

As part of the intensified surveillance, health authorities are actively monitoring patients presenting with acute febrile illness (AFI) and AES in affected districts. Simultaneously, community-based serosurveys are being conducted to estimate asymptomatic infections and determine the true scale of virus transmission, an aspect that remains poorly understood.

 

Laboratory teams are also working to improve diagnostic assays and develop advanced animal models that could provide deeper insights into how the virus causes disease and identify potential therapeutic strategies.

 

One of the key objectives of the ongoing investigation is to identify the exact transmission cycle of the virus. Although sandflies are recognised as the established vectors of Chandipura virus, scientists are exploring whether mosquitoes, ticks, mites or other arthropods may also play a role in transmitting the infection.

Large numbers of vector samples collected from affected districts are currently undergoing laboratory examination. However, officials cautioned against drawing premature conclusions, stressing that the specific vector responsible for the present outbreak cannot be identified until scientific investigations are completed.

In a significant expansion of the response, surveillance has also been extended to domestic animals to examine whether they could serve as reservoirs of the virus. Blood samples from cattle, buffaloes and goats, along with milk samples, have been collected for laboratory testing.

 

Around 70 animal blood samples have been analysed for Chandipura virus and other pathogens, although authorities emphasised that no conclusions should be drawn until testing is complete.

The current investigation is also drawing important lessons from the 2024 Chandipura virus outbreak in Gujarat. During that outbreak, researchers collected and tested several vector species, including sandflies, but none tested positive for Chandipura virus, leaving scientists without conclusive evidence regarding the exact vector involved.

 

Scientists are simultaneously examining whether the virus has undergone genetic evolution. Whole-genome sequencing of samples from the current outbreak is being carried out at the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre in Gandhinagar.

Early results show small genetic changes, but experts say a thorough comparison is needed to see if the current strain is very different from viruses found in past outbreaks.

Researchers from ICMR-National Institute of Virology, along with ICMR-Rajendra Memorial National Institute of Health Research, BJ Medical College, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, and the Gujarat government, have recently published a study that details the various investigations conducted during the 2024 outbreak.

 

The present investigations are further supported by India’s Hospital-based Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) surveillance network, which spans 15 tertiary care hospitals across the country.

The network uses standardised clinical protocols, molecular and serological diagnostics, and selective next-generation sequencing to strengthen outbreak detection and improve understanding of the causes of AES.