A new point-of-care test has been found to be highly sensitive in the rapid diagnosis of Kyasanur forest disease (KFD), also known as monkey fever.
- Developed by ICMR-National Institute of Virology, the use of such point-of-care tests would be beneficial for the diagnosis of KFD as the outbreaks mainly happen in remote areas, where there is lack of well-equipped sample handling and laboratory testing facilities.
About Kyasanur forest disease
- This Kyasanur forest disease was first identified in Kyasanur forest of Shimoga district in Karnataka during an investigation of monkey mortalities in 1957.
- The disease is caused by a Kyasanur Forest disease virus, which primarily affects humans and monkeys.
(Source: Indian Express)
