Kerala’s Public Health Lab Develops Molecular Test Kits for Deadly Amoeba
In a major breakthrough in infectious disease diagnostics, the State Public Health Laboratory in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, has successfully developed molecular diagnostic test kits to detect five species of free-living amoeba (FLA) known to cause amoebic meningoencephalitis, a rare but highly fatal brain infection. For the first time, the lab identified Acanthamoeba spp. in a human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) sample, marking a critical step in early diagnosis and targeted treatment of this life-threatening condition.
The State Public Health Laboratory in Kerala has developed PCR-based molecular tests for five dangerous species of amoeba. For the first time, a confirmatory diag nosis of Acanthamoeba spp. was made in a human sample, enabling prompt and precise treatment.Kerala had earlier depended on national labs like PGI Chandigarh for such confirmation.
Development of molecular diagnostic (PCR) test kits to identify.
Summary/Static | Details |
Why in the news? | Kerala’s Public Health Lab Develops Molecular Test Kits for Deadly Amoeba |
Developed by | State Public Health Laboratory, Kerala |
Location | Thiruvananthapuram |
Diagnostic Tool | PCR-based Molecular Diagnostic Test Kits |
Pathogens Detected | 5 Amoebic species incl. Naegleria fowleri and Acanthamoeba spp. |
First Confirmed | Human Sample Acanthamoeba spp. in CSF of AES patient |
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