Specialists of the I. N. Blokhina Nizhny Novgorod Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology have received a patent for a new method of diagnosing antibodies to the Echovirus 30 enterovirus, according to a statement from Rospotrebnadzor (the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing), under which the institute operates.
Echovirus 30 and similar enteroviruses can cause a range of illnesses, from mild symptoms like a common cold to more severe diseases like aseptic meningitis. The method allows for determining immunity to the virus: the presence of antibodies in the blood indicates that a person has either had the disease or has been vaccinated. For this purpose, capsid proteins VP1, VP2, and VP3, which form the outer shell of the enterovirus (the capsid), are used. It is these proteins that trigger the strongest and most specific immune response — the antibodies that the body produces to fight the virus are targeted at them.
“With this new method, it becomes possible to monitor the health of the population and take measures to prevent the spread of viruses. This can help protect people from infections and improve public health overall,” the statement emphasizes.
In October, Nanolek biopharmaceutical company launched Russia’s first full-cycle vaccine against human papillomavirus (HPV). More information about the project can be found in the material of a GxP News correspondent who attended the launch of the production facility.
