Executive Summary : | Zika virus (ZIKV) is the emerging Aedes aegypti transmitted arbovirus infection of human. No successful commercial vaccine available for prevention and control of ZIKAV. The abrupt emergence of ZIKV in Indian sub-continent and surprisingly correlated with the presentation of Guilian-Barre syndrome and the serious microcephaly in the babies born to the virus infected pregnant mothers has drawn the world attention as a serious public health issue. In the laboratory, human ZIKV infections are diagnosed by classical Virus isolation, MAC-ELISA, Neutralization test and RT-PCR assays. In the case of vectors, virus infection can be confirmed by virus isolation by inoculating in susceptible animals or cell lines. Indeed, these conventional methods are cumbersome, expensive, time consuming, which needs trained expertise. For implementing timely vector control measures, demonstration of virus infection in vectors with efficient laboratory tools is a prime need during surveillance. Though real time virus genome detection methodologies are highly specific and sensitive, the exorbitant cost involvement hampers its routine usage during large epidemiological survey covering vast geographical areas. No rapid assay available for detection and differentiation of Zika virus infections in human, though three closely related viruses are circulating in vectors simultaneously. Moreover, the vector samples needs to be transported in cold chain which is not practically feasible for tropical countries like India. Hence, there is an urgent need for the development of simple, highly sensitive, specific, rapid, affordable field adaptable tool for routine surveillance of ZIKV in vector mosquitoes in the country. The present project proposes to optimize a field adaptable, simple, electrochemical based immunosensor for the rapid detection of ZIKA virus in the infected wild caught vector mosquitoes. As the methodology is common, attempts will also be made to optimize an antigen capture ELISA format for screening of wild caught vector mosquitoes for ZIKAV antigens as a rapid preliminary screening tool. In view of the above facts, and by keeping the WHO developed ASSURED criteria (Affordable, Sensitive, Specific, User-friendly, Rapid and robust, Equipment-free and Deliverable to end-users) in mind, the present project attempted to develop a simple, electrochemical immunosensor based rapid field adaptable assay for detection of ZIKAV antigen in wild caught vector mosquitoes. Such cost effective tools can be routinely be used for rapid detection of ZIKV in human and vector mosquitoes as an early warning system for timely implementation of vector control. |