Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:
Prelims level: West Nile Virus, Its host, transmission and treatment
Why in news?
Ukraine is currently dealing with a serious outbreak of West Nile virus (WNV), with health officials raising alarms as the death toll rises.
About West Nile Virus
|
Details |
| Virus Type |
Member of the flavivirus genus, family Flaviviridae |
| First Isolated |
1937 in a woman in the West Nile district of Uganda |
| Geographical Distribution |
Commonly found in Africa, Europe, Middle East, North America, and West Asia |
| Transmission |
Primarily transmitted through infected mosquito bites; mosquitoes become infected by feeding on infected birds. Can also spread through infected animal tissues. |
| Symptoms |
– Asymptomatic: ~80% of infected individuals show no symptoms
– West Nile Fever: ~20% develop symptoms like fever, headache, fatigue, body aches, nausea, vomiting, and occasional skin rash. |
| Peak Infection Period |
Typically spikes between June and September (summer to autumn) |
| Reported Outbreaks |
19 countries have reported outbreaks, including Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Türkiye, and Kosovo. |
| Treatment |
No vaccine available; supportive treatments provided for neuroinvasive WNV patients |
PYQ:
[2017] Consider the following statements:
1. In tropical regions, Zika virus disease is transmitted by the same mosquito that transmits dengue.
2. Sexual transmission of Zika virus disease is possible.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2 |
Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:
Prelims level: About Zika Virus
Mains level: India’s Lack of Significant Zika Surveillance and Other Diseases
Why in the news?
The detection of a Zika virus infection in Pune has once again raised concerns regarding India’s readiness to diagnose emerging infectious diseases.
Recent Outbreaks in Various Regions of India
- Zika Virus: Recent cases of Zika virus in Pune and previous outbreaks in Kerala and Uttar Pradesh highlight sporadic but concerning outbreaks across India.
- Avian Influenza: Ongoing outbreaks affecting poultry, with occasional human cases reported, indicating challenges in surveillance and testing.
- Nipah Virus: Multiple outbreaks in Kerala and sporadic cases in West Bengal underscore the recurrent nature of Nipah virus outbreaks in India.
India’s Lack of Significant Zika Surveillance and Other Diseases
- Limited Diagnostic Capabilities: India faces challenges with the absence of approved diagnostic tests for the Zika virus, relying on clinical symptoms and selective testing, which may lead to underreporting.
- Surveillance Gaps: There is a notable gap in systematic surveillance systems specifically tailored for Zika and other emerging infectious diseases, hampering early detection and containment efforts.
- Infrastructure Deficiencies: The country’s diagnostic infrastructure outside major institutes is inadequate, affecting the timely identification and response to outbreaks of diseases like Zika, Nipah, and avian influenza.
- Dependency on Apex Institutes: Diagnostic facilities are largely concentrated in apex national institutes, limiting accessibility and delaying the implementation of crucial public health measures during outbreaks.
Impacts of Unavailability of Infrastructure
- Delayed Response: Lack of accessible diagnostics delays the identification and isolation of cases, contact tracing, and implementation of containment measures during outbreaks.
- Loss of Time: Delays in releasing genomic sequences and validating diagnostic tests impede the rapid development and deployment of effective diagnostics.
Way Forward (Role of ICMR)
- Enhanced Surveillance: ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) should lead efforts to decentralize testing facilities, ensuring availability at district and sub-district levels.
- Capacity Building: Develop accessible and affordable diagnostic tests for Zika, Nipah, and avian influenza, leveraging lessons from COVID-19 testing infrastructure expansion.
- Genomic Surveillance: Establish a system for the rapid release of whole genome sequences into public repositories like GISAID to enhance understanding and response capabilities.
- Collaboration: Foster collaboration with industry and research institutions to streamline diagnostic test approvals and improve preparedness for future outbreaks.
Mains PYQ:
Q COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented devastation worldwide. However, technological advancements are being availed readily to win over the crisis. Give an account of how technology was sought to aid the management of the pandemic. (UPSC IAS/2020)
Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:
Prelims level: Autoimmune diseases and the Concept of Inverse Vaccine
Mains level: Autoimmune diseases, Potential Applications of Inverse Vaccine and
What’s the news?
- Breakthrough Inverse vaccines offer hope for treating autoimmune diseases.
Central idea
- In the quest to combat autoimmune diseases, scientists are exploring a groundbreaking approach: inverse vaccines. While still in the developmental stage and yet to be tested on humans, this novel concept holds the potential to revolutionize the treatment of autoimmune diseases.
What are autoimmune diseases?
- Autoimmune diseases are a group of medical conditions in which the body’s immune system, which is designed to protect against foreign invaders like bacteria and viruses, mistakenly attacks its own healthy cells and tissues.
- Normally, the immune system can differentiate between the body’s own cells (self) and foreign substances (non-self), but in autoimmune diseases, this ability is disrupted, leading to immune responses directed against the body’s own tissues.
Key Facts
- There are more than 80 known autoimmune diseases, and they can affect virtually any part of the body, including the skin, joints, muscles, organs, and various systems like the nervous system or endocrine system.
- The exact cause of autoimmune diseases is often complex and not fully understood, but a combination of genetic, environmental, and hormonal factors is believed to contribute to their development.
- These diseases can vary in severity and may have periods of remission and flare-ups.
- Treatment typically involves managing symptoms, suppressing the immune response, and, in some cases, using medications to control inflammation or modulate the immune system.
- Autoimmune diseases can be chronic and require ongoing medical management.
- Some common autoimmune diseases include Type 1 Diabetes, Psoriasis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Systemic Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.
The Concept of Inverse Vaccine
- Conventional vaccines work by training the immune system to recognize and combat infectious agents. For instance, COVID-19 vaccines teach the immune system to identify the spike protein of the virus and neutralize it.
- In contrast, inverse vaccines do the opposite. They prevent the immune system from attacking healthy cells by retraining it to spare them.
- Inverse vaccines add a do not attack signal to healthy cells.
Table 1: Traditional Vaccines vs Inverse Vaccines
| Aspect |
Traditional Vaccines |
Inverse Vaccines |
| Primary Purpose |
To stimulate the immune system to recognize and fight specific pathogens (e.g., viruses or bacteria) |
To prevent the immune system from attacking healthy cells and tissues in autoimmune diseases |
| Components |
Contain weakened or inactivated pathogens, proteins, or fragments derived from pathogens |
May contain markers or signals to modify the immune response and prevent attacks on healthy cells |
| Immune Response |
Elicits an immune response targeting specific pathogens, leading to the production of antibodies and memory cells |
Modifies or suppresses the immune response in cases of autoimmune diseases, reducing attacks on healthy tissues |
| Application |
Used to prevent infections by training the immune system to recognize and respond to specific threats |
Investigated for the treatment of autoimmune diseases by retraining the immune system to tolerate healthy cells |
| Protection Mechanism |
Provides protection against specific pathogens by building immunity |
Preserves the body’s healthy cells by preventing autoimmune attacks |
| Examples |
Vaccines for diseases like measles, polio, and influenza |
Experimental vaccines for autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis |
| Status |
Widely used and established in preventive medicine |
Still in experimental stages, undergoing research and development |
Potential Applications of Inverse Vaccines
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS): Inverse vaccines may offer a new approach to managing MS by preventing immune cells from attacking cells in the brain and spinal cord.
- Type I Diabetes: These vaccines could potentially help protect insulin-producing cells in the pancreas from immune attacks, offering a potential treatment for Type 1 diabetes.
- Celiac Disease: Early safety trials are underway to test the use of inverse vaccines in celiac disease, a condition associated with gluten intolerance. These vaccines may help individuals respond better to gluten and manage the disease more effectively.
- Allergic Asthma: Inverse vaccines are under investigation for managing allergic asthma by modifying the immune response to allergens, potentially reducing asthma symptoms.
- Food Allergies: There is potential for inverse vaccines to improve tolerance to allergenic foods, making it safer for individuals with food allergies to consume these foods.
- Chronic Inflammatory Diseases: Inverse vaccines may find applications in managing chronic inflammatory conditions like Crohn’s disease, offering a targeted approach to modulating the immune response.
- Transplantation: Researchers are exploring the potential of inverse vaccines in organ transplantation to reduce the risk of organ rejection. These vaccines may help the recipient’s immune system tolerate the transplanted organ more effectively.
Adaptability to Different Diseases
- The concept of an inverse vaccine is not new. It was pioneered by Stanford researcher Lawrence Steinman in the early 2000s.
- Recent research led by Jeffrey Hubbell has opened the door to creating tailored inverse vaccines for various autoimmune diseases.
- This adaptability allows for precision in addressing specific conditions, enhancing their effectiveness.
Progress and Future Prospects
- Current Stage: Inverse vaccines are still in the experimental phase and have not yet been tested in human trials, as mentioned in the article.
- Safety Trials: Early safety trials are underway, including trials related to their use in celiac disease and Phase 1 safety trials for multiple sclerosis (MS).
- Potential Transformative Impact: Early indications of success, particularly in treating celiac disease, offer hope for transformative treatments.
- Development in the Field: Researchers anticipate more developments in the field of inverse vaccines in the next five to ten years.
- Adjustable Vaccines: The researchers are working on creating adjustable inverse vaccines tailored to different autoimmune diseases. This adaptability is expected to enhance their effectiveness.
- Broader Applications: While the primary focus is on autoimmune diseases, researchers are also exploring potential applications of inverse vaccines in managing food allergies and allergic asthma.
Conclusion
- Inverse vaccines represent a promising avenue for treating autoimmune diseases without compromising the overall immune response. As research continues, the prospect of bringing inverse vaccines from the lab to the clinic is an exciting possibility on the horizon.
Also read:
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