The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has recently approved the first batch of antibody testing kits for a sero-survey. This kit, known as “Covid KAVACH ELISA,” has been manufactured by Zydus-Cadila, and it raises interesting developments in the fight against Covid-19.
About Covid KAVACH ELISA
Developed at the National Institute of Virology in Pune, the Covid KAVACH ELISA is a test that detects and measures antibodies in the blood. This is achieved by isolating the virus from patients in India. The test can be used not only with regards to Covi-19 but also to diagnose other infectious conditions like HIV, which causes AIDS, Zika virus and more.
Role in Sero-Survey
The Ministry of Health plans to use these ELISA kits in a new nationwide sero-survey. A sero-survey aims to detect the prevalence of antibodies that appear after a patient has recovered from the virus. This ambitious project will see 24,000 individuals tested in 69 districts at a household level under the leadership of ICMR.
The Importance of Antibody Tests
Antibody tests are crucial for surveillance to understand the spread of infection within a population. As for Covid-19, this test acts as a screening process, providing results within a few hours. A positive result indicates exposure to the virus, prompting an RNA test using a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) kit. However, it’s important to note that real-time RT-PCR remains the frontline test for clinical diagnosis.
ELISA vs Rapid Antibody tests
ELISA antibody tests differ significantly from the rapid antibody tests previously used. They offer high reliability and cost-effectiveness. With sensitivity and specificity rates measuring 98.7% and 100% respectively, these kits are suitable for testing large numbers of samples per day. ELISA has minimal biosafety and biosecurity requirements compared to RT-PCR tests and can even be deployed at a district level as the test kit contains an inactivated virus.
Understanding Antibodies
Antibodies, or immunoglobulins, are protective proteins produced by the immune system in response to foreign substances, known as antigens. Antigens range from disease-causing organisms to toxic materials, which antibodies recognize and attempt to remove from the body.
About PCR Test
Invented by American biochemist Kary Mullis, who won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1993, the PCR technique creates copies of a segment of DNA using an enzyme. Though coronavirus is composed of RNA, not DNA, the process can still be applied – the RNA is converted into DNA using a technique called reverse transcription. Once converted, copies of the DNA are then made and amplified. The process generally takes about 24 hours to deliver results.
The Role of the Indian Council of Medical Research
The ICMR is India’s leading body responsible for biomedical research formulation, coordination, and promotion. Its mission is to benefit society by conducting medical research, translating medical innovations into products or processes, and introducing them into the public health system. It operates under the funding of the Government of India via the Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.