ICMR launches study to establish India's first early warning system for zoonotic spillovers

IANS April 4, 2025 195 views

The Indian Council of Medical Research has initiated a groundbreaking study to establish India's first early warning system for zoonotic disease spillovers. By focusing on bird sanctuaries and wetlands across three states, researchers aim to develop a real-time surveillance model tracking potential human health risks. The comprehensive project leverages advanced diagnostic tools like Next Generation Sequencing to detect emerging pathogens at the human-animal-environment interface. This multi-ministry collaborative research comes at a critical time, especially following a recent bird flu fatality in Andhra Pradesh.

"Scientific departments have a pivotal role in developing innovative tools" - Dr. Rajiv Bahl, ICMR Director General
New Delhi, April 4: Amid a global surge in bird flu cases, including in India, the Indian Council of Medical Research on Friday launched a first-of-its-kind scientific study to detect zoonotic diseases that could spill over from birds to humans.

Key Points

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First nationwide zoonotic disease early warning surveillance system

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Study covers Sikkim, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu bird sanctuaries

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Advanced Next Generation Sequencing for pathogen detection

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Collaborative multi-ministry research approach

The ambitious study will focus on the critical intersection of human, bird, and forest health, and help establish India’s first early warning system for zoonotic spillovers.

It will be conducted in select bird sanctuaries and wetlands across Sikkim, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

“Just as a strong radar system is essential for timely and precise action, robust surveillance systems are critical for early detection and containment of emerging health threats,” said Dr. Rajiv Bahl, Director General, ICMR.

"Scientific departments have a pivotal role in developing innovative tools and advancing research to strengthen these surveillance ‘radars’ which can be implemented in a programmatic manner," he added.

The study aims to develop a real-time surveillance model to detect and diagnose zoonotic diseases in bird sanctuary workers and nearby residents.

It will also involve periodic sampling of birds and environmental specimens to screen for emerging pathogens, utilising advanced diagnostic tools like Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) for the early identification of novel infections.

Establishing an early warning system for zoonotic spillovers will enhance the country’s preparedness to respond to potential public health threats.

Dr. Ranjan Das, Director, the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) stressed the need to understand the mechanisms and drivers responsible for zoonotic spillovers. This will enable "timely and coordinated actions”.

"Strengthening surveillance at the human-animal-environment interface will significantly enhance India’s preparedness for future outbreaks,” Das added.

The study will leverage the One Health approach to monitor the health of both human populations and migratory bird species, as well as the environment in which they coexist.

The comprehensive research project involves collaboration between multiple ministries, including the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; Ministry of Health, and Agriculture.

The initiative comes at a time, when a two-year-old girl in Andhra Pradesh, died after contracting the H5N1 bird flu virus after consuming raw chicken. The case marks India’s first death from the virus since 2021.

Reader Comments

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Priya K.
This is such an important initiative! With climate change and habitat destruction, these spillover events are becoming more common. Glad to see India taking proactive steps 👏
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Arjun S.
While I appreciate the effort, I wonder if they're focusing enough on rural areas where human-animal interaction is highest. The selected states seem quite limited in scope.
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Rahul M.
The One Health approach is brilliant! We can't keep treating human, animal and environmental health as separate issues. This could be a game-changer for pandemic prevention �🌿
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Sunita P.
That poor child's death was so tragic 😢 If this system can prevent even one such case, it will be worth every rupee invested. Public health is national security.
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Vikram D.
Interesting they're using Next Gen Sequencing. India's scientific capabilities have come so far! Hope the data will be shared openly with researchers worldwide.
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Meena T.
As someone who lives near a bird sanctuary, I'm relieved to hear about this. We've been worried since the Andhra case. Will local communities be involved in the monitoring?

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Tags:
Zoonotic Diseases Bird Flu ICMR One Health Approach Disease Surveillance H5N1 India Health Research
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