At a time when the country is facing threats from new and emerging diseases, the Kerala Veterinary and Animal sciences University (KVASU) is gearing up to set up a referral, analytical, and diagnostic laboratory complex with the financial assistance of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), to support livestock farming and diagnosis of zoonotic diseases.
The State has faced incidences of new and emerging diseases caused by viruses such as Nipah in the recent past and is presently facing the wrath of COVID-19, Vice Chancellor M.R. Saseendranath said.
“Precise diagnosis and early treatment of infectious diseases; analysis of feed, food, and their products for various toxins; and appropriate forecasting of disease incidence in livestock based on an epidemiological calendar assume significance to mitigate disease prevalence among animals, Dr. Saseendranath said.
In two years
Creation of facilities for timely detection and accurate reporting of hazardous and infective organisms was crucial for control measures, he said.
The proposed laboratory complex would be set up at a cost of ₹32 crore on the premises of the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences at Mannuthy in Thrissur district.
The project would be materialised in two years, he added.
Advanced research
The laboratory complex would be equipped with facilities for advanced molecular-level research and would consist of as many as 22 laboratories, including a sophisticated instruments laboratory, radio tracer and micro- nutrient laboratory, molecular biology laboratory, cell culture laboratory, embryo technology laboratory, hybridoma technology laboratory, and RNA processing and zoonoses laboratory.
“It also envisages the installation of a lab with Biosafety level-3 facility for diagnosis of organisms belonging to category III as per WHO guidelines, taking into account all precautionary measures,” Dr. Saseendranath said.
A common infrastructure facility with appropriate biosecurity precautions, pooling manpower and sophisticated equipment, ensures delivery of the results of physio-chemical analysis of food and food products, detection of organisms, and provides disease-preventive measures.
