H1N1 swine flu virus testing lab opened in Narayana Nethralaya, Bangalore

A new H1N1 swine flu virus testing laboratory has been opened Narayana Nethralaya hospital in Bangalore.

H1N1 swine flu virus testing lab at Narayana Nethralaya is the first of its kind in the private sector hospitals in Karnataka state, southern India.

Currrently, H1N1 swine flu virus test is being conducted in two government run centres  KMC Manipal and the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore.

H1N1 swine flu virus testing is done free of cost at KMC Hospitala at Manipal National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS).

Narayana Nethralaya, which is the leading ophthalmology care centre, has procured the real-time PCR machine for H1N1 swine flu virus testing at a cost of Rs 25 lakh from the US.

Narayana Nethralaya hospital will charge Rs 5,500 for a single H1N1 swine flu virus confirmation test, reports said sourcing hospital sources.

Narayana Nethralaya hospital will send the fisrt 50 samples H1N1 swin flu to NIMHANS for certification, before commencing the test on a regular basis.

Apart from H1N1 swine fly virus infection, the real-time PCR can also help test other respiratory diseases and brain infections.

Initially, Narayana Nethralaya hospital lab will handle H1N1 patients with milder or Category B, while H1N1 swine flu infected patients with severe symptoms (Category C) can get their tests done at NIMHANS free of cost.

H1N1 swine flu has claimed over 100 lives in Karnataka so far.

NIHMANS at Bangalore conducts 100 tests a day.

NIMHANS is currently in the process of purchase another equipment costing around Rs 40 lakh for conducting tests for H1N1 swine flu patients. The new equipment would help enhance NIMHANS H1N1 testing capability to 300 tests a day.

The government of Karnataka was also planning to set up a laboratory at KLE Society Hospital in Belgaum for providing treatment to  patients.

Private hospitals in Bangalore charge between Rs. 1,200 and Rs. 1,500 per patient for screening.Government would reimburse the hospitals for the cost treatment, sources said.

Several hospitals in the private sector have decided to set up laboratories for conducting tests.

India is planning to launch swine flu vaccines in the country by mid December, according to the top drug regulator Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), even as the country witness a fresh outbreak of H1N1 infections.

The government has already written to four multi-national H1N1 influenza vaccine makers to include India as well in their global clinical trials programme to test experimental vaccines in humans.

Foreign companies should first have to complete safety protocol study in India before introducing H1N1 influenza vaccine in the country.

Among the H1N1 vaccine makers in India only CPL Biologicals is expected to supply the vaccine atleast by next year.

CPL Biologicals, a joint venture between Ahmedabad based Cadila Pharmaceuticals and US based vaccine maker Novavax is planning to supply 10 million doses of swine flu vaccine (H1N1) in the first phase from January-February next year.

Cadila Pharma owns 80 per cent stake CPL Biologicals and the remaining 20 per cent is held by Novavax. Cadila also holds 5.75% equity stake in Novavax of USA and has a position on the board of directors of Novavax.

Serum Institute of India, Bharat Biotech, Panacea Biotec are among the other Indian vaccine makers conducting early stage studies for H1N1 influenza vaccine. These companies also plan to conduct human studies this year so that they can roll out the vaccines as early as next year.

Swine flu testing centres and hospitals in Bangalore, here.