Urgent Alert: Nipah Virus Outbreak in India
A recent Nipah virus (NiV) outbreak in West Bengal, India has triggered emergency public health responses. Authorities in neighboring countries, including Thailand and Nepal, have reinforced surveillance measures at airports and border checkpoints.
Nipah virus is a highly pathogenic zoonotic virus, primarily carried by fruit bats, with transmission occurring through contaminated food, animal contact, or human-to-human spread. With reported case fatality rates exceeding 40%, and reaching up to 75% in some outbreaks, early detection is critical to outbreak control.
In the absence of approved vaccines or targeted antiviral therapies, diagnostics become the first line of defense.
What Is Nipah Virus?
Nipah virus (NiV) belongs to the Paramyxoviridae family, genus Henipavirus. It is an enveloped, negative-sense RNA virus capable of infecting both humans and animals.
Key characteristics include:
- First identified in Malaysia in 1998, mainly among pig farmers
- Targets the respiratory system and central nervous system
- Clinical symptoms include fever, headache, drowsiness, confusion, coma, and acute encephalitis
- Incubation period typically 4–14 days, with reports up to 45 days
- High mortality rates in both humans and animals
Repeated outbreaks in South and Southeast Asia have established Nipah virus as a persistent regional public health threat.
From Speed to Surveillance: A Tiered Molecular Detection Strategy
Effective epidemic response requires both rapid case identification and continuous viral surveillance.
RT-qPCR and metagenomic NGS (mNGS) address different but complementary diagnostic needs.
|
Dimension |
Tier 1: RT-qPCR (Rapid Screening) |
Tier 2: mNGS (Genomic Surveillance) |
|
Primary purpose |
Rapid detection of known viral targets |
Comprehensive pathogen identification and variant monitoring |
|
Detection principle |
Target-specific amplification using primers and probes |
Unbiased sequencing of all nucleic acids in the sample |
|
Speed |
Fast turnaround (results within hours) |
Longer workflow (library prep and sequencing required) |
|
Sensitivity & specificity |
High sensitivity and high specificity for predefined targets |
High sensitivity with broad detection scope |
|
Throughput |
Easily scalable for large-scale screening |
Suitable for surveillance and in-depth analysis |
|
Variant detection |
Limited to known mutations |
Genome-level resolution for novel and emerging variants |
|
Typical applications |
Early diagnosis, outbreak screening, routine monitoring |
Mutation tracking, epidemiology, and viral evolution studies |
|
Role in outbreak response |
Frontline diagnostic tool for rapid decision-making |
Strategic tool for long-term surveillance and preparedness |
RT-qPCR Solutions from Yeasen Biotechnology
Yeasen Biotechnology offers a comprehensive RT-qPCR raw material solution designed for fast, accurate, and reliable pathogen detection, supporting IVD developers and diagnostic laboratories worldwide.
One-Step Multiplex RT-qPCR Master Mix Portfolio
|
Product |
Cat. No. |
Key Features |
Recommended Scenarios |
|
HifairTM Superpro Fast One Step RT-qPCR Master Mix (UDG Plus) |
16913ES |
Ready-to-use, fast cycling, full premix |
High-throughput screening, emergency testing |
|
HifairTM Universal Advanced Multiplex One Step RT-qPCR Mix (UDG Plus) |
16930ES |
High inhibitor tolerance, robust performance |
Complex clinical or environmental samples |
|
HifairTM Lyo-Ready I Multiplex One Step RT-qPCR Kit (UDG Plus) |
16645ES |
Lyophilized, room-temperature stability |
Field testing, mobile labs, emergency stockpiles |
Key Product Advantages
- Fast & Convenient Operation
Single-tube formulation simplifies workflows and supports rapid thermal cycling
- High Sensitivity
Optmized buffer systems enable detection down to 200 copies/mL
- Excellent Stability
Maintains performance after 7 days at 37 °C and multiple freeze–thaw cycles
- dUTP/UDG Anti-Contamination System
Effectively prevents aerosol contamination and false positives
- Broad Platform Compatibility
Validated on Bio-Rad CFX96, ABI 7500, QuantStudio, SLAN, and more
Performance
1. Stability Validation Example:
Hifair™ Superpro Fast One Step RT-qPCR Master Mix（UDG Plus)(Cat#16913ES)
|
Item |
Description |
|
Instrument |
SLAN real-time PCR system |
|
Reaction volume |
25 μL (including 5 μL template) |
|
Template |
HPIV and RSV pseudovirus |
|
Template level |
1 copy/μL |
|
Control |
Reagent stored at −20°C, freshly prepared |
|
Test |
Primer/probe–premixed reagent stored at 37 °C for 5 days |
|
PCR program |
50°C 4 min; 95 °C 30 sec; 42 cycles (95 °C 5 sec, 60 °C 15 sec) |
|
Result |
Comparable amplification curves and detection rates between test and control, confirming high stability and sensitivity of the premixed system. |
2. Sensitivity Validation Example:
Hifair™ Universal Advanced Multiplex One Step RT-qPCR Mix (UDG Plus)(Cat#16930)
|
Item |
Description |
|
Instrument |
ABI 7500 Real-Time PCR System |
|
Reaction volume |
25 μL (including 5 μL template) |
|
Template |
Respiratory pseudovirus |
|
Template level |
1,000 copies/μL |
|
Control (blue curve) |
TE buffer used as template diluent (clean sample) |
|
Test (red curve) |
Oral swab shaken in nucleic acid lysis buffer as template diluent (inhibitor-mimicking sample) |
|
PCR program |
50°C 2 min; 95 °C 30 sec; 45 cycles (95°C 5 sec, 60°C 15 sec) |
|
Result |
Comparable performance between inhibitor-mimicking and clean samples, demonstrating strong inhibitor tolerance, outperforming comparable products. |
3. Validation Example for Freeze-Dried Microspheres:
Hifair™ Lyo-Ready I Multiplex One Step RT-qPCR Kit（UDG plus)(Cat#16645)
|
Item |
Description |
|
Instrument |
ABI 7500 Real-Time PCR System |
|
Reaction volume |
25 μL |
|
Template |
HPIV pseudovirus templates |
|
Template levels |
10⁴, 10³, 102 copies/μL and 1 copy/μL |
|
Control (red curve) |
Lyophilized 20 μL reaction (with primers/probes), freshly prepared |
|
Test (blue curve) |
Lyophilized reaction stored at 50 °C for 33 days |
|
PCR program |
50°C 2 min; 95°C 30 sec; 40 cycles (95°C 5 sec, 60°C 10 sec) |
|
Result |
After 33 days at 50 °C, lyophilized pellets containing HPIV primers/probes showed amplification curves and low-copy detection rates identical to fresh pellets (100% detection at 1 copy/μL, n = 20), confirming excellent thermal stability. |
mNGS Workflow Support for Viral Genome Surveillance
For comprehensive pathogen characterization and mutation tracking, Yeasen offers a streamlined mNGS workflow for viral genome surveillance.
By combining Hieff NGS™ OnePot Flash DNA Library Prep Kit (Enzymatic) (Cat#12316) with Hieff NGS™ ds-cDNA Synthesis Kit(Cat#13488) (High-Efficiency cDNA Synthesis Module), laboratories can rapidly transition from RNA samples to sequencing-ready libraries.
This integrated solution enables:
- High-quality RNA library construction with uniform coverage across viral genomes
- Efficient cDNA synthesis from low-input RNA, supporting challenging or limited clinical samples
- Fast and robust workflow, shortening turnaround time from sample to detection
- Stable and reproducible performance, ensuring consistency across batches and platforms
Together, Yeasen provide reliable support for viral genome sequencing, mutation tracking, and epidemiological studies, empowering laboratories to move seamlessly from rapid molecular detection to comprehensive genomic surveillance.
Related Products
|
Product Category |
Function / Positioning |
Product Name |
Cat. No. |
|
Nucleic Acid Extraction |
Magnetic bead–based pathogen DNA/RNA extraction |
HieffTM Magnetic Pathogen DNA/RNA Kit |
18306ES |
|
Magnetic bead–based universal viral DNA/RNA extraction |
18521ES |
||
|
Automated nucleic acid extraction system (96-channel) |
96-Channel Automated Nucleic Acid Extraction System |
80510ES |
|
|
RT-qPCR Mix |
Fast, high-sensitivity, inhibitor-tolerant, 3G |
Hifair™ Universal Advanced Multiplex One Step RT-qPCR Mix (UDG Plus) |
16930ES |
|
High-concentration, one-tube format (5×), 3G |
16921ES |
||
|
2nd-generation, fully premixed, fast, 2G |
Hifair™ Superpro Fast One Step RT-qPCR Master Mix (UDG Plus) |
16913ES |
|
|
Universal, high sensitivity, 2G |
Hifair™ C203P1 Multiplex One Step RT-qPCR Probe Kit (UDG Plus) |
16630ES |
|
|
Universal, fast, lyophilization-ready |
Hifair™ Lyo-Ready I Multiplex One Step RT-qPCR Kit (UDG Plus) |
16645ES |
|
|
mNGS Lib Prep |
Rapid DNA Library Preparation |
12316ES |
|
|
cDNA Synthesis |
13488ES |
||
|
13501ES |