National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (I.C.M.R.)
[WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training on Diarrhoeal Diseases
(WHO CC No. IND-48)]
Director/Head: Dr. Gopinath Balakrish Nair
Email : nairgb@icmr.org.in
 

• To develop training methodologies, teaching modules and conduct workshops for better management, prevention, control and laboratory diagnosis using classical and molecular techniques for diarrhoeal diseases.
   
• Supply of diagnostic antisera especially against Vibrio cholerae O1 and O139 as and when required by member countries.
   
• To conduct epidemiological investigations of cholera/diarrhoea epidemic(s) in different parts of the country & abroad and give advice and recommendations for preventing future epidemics.
   
• To serve as WHO Vibrio phage reference centre providing service for phage typing, serotyping and biotyping of Vibrio cholerae.

Subjects:

• Diarrhoeal disease and Cholera
• Cholera

Types of activity:

• Collection, collation and dissemination of information
• Research
• Training & Education
  
   

Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) is one of the robust techniques in genotyping the pathogens, which is effective in detecting the source, mode and spread of infections. PFGE has standardized methods for more than 10 enteric pathogens and being used in more than 80 countries. The images of the PFGE patterns can be electronically shared that will permit comparison of the PFGE profiles of target pathogen isolated from several sources of epidemiological interest. Advantage of this technique is real time sharing of the data, circumventing transportation of pathogens and storage of enormous data for future use. With the collaboration of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, USA and the PulseNet Asia Pacific PFGE network, the GVD is now placed at the National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases in Kolkata, India with Dr. T. Ramamurthy being the designated expert in charge of the GVD.

The main aim of GVD is to establish PFGE profiles generated by the participating countries and to have a real-time linked system for the early recognition of clusters of cholera that may flare into outbreaks. The GVD will be established using BioNumerics server/client format with on-line database server located at NICED. This web-based database makes possible for legitimate collaborators to submit the PFGE data directly via the web. The collaborators will also have access to the database (password protected) and compare their PFGE data from the database. The main advantage of this exercise is uniform naming of PFGE-subtypes and identification of existing or new clusters. This web-based data base will significantly improve the surveillance and trace-back of cholera at the national and global level.