Antibody tests planned in GB Ngr and 8 other districts

KANPUR: Collection of blood samples for antibody tests has been completed in Auraiya district under the aegis of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to gauge people’s immunity to the coronavirus. A similar exercise is planned in eight other districts of the state, along with 60 districts elsewhere in the country.

Besides Auraiya, the other UP districts included in the first phase of the exercise are Unnao, Bareilly, Saharanpur, Gautam Budh Nagar, Mau, Gonda, Balrampur and Amroha.

Initially, samples of 400 people were taken from clusters of 10 villages in Auraiya. The blood samples would be sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, for tests to determine whether the antibody IGG (immunoglobulin G) is capable of offering protection from the Sars-cov-2 virus that causes the Covid-19 disease.

Additional director, health,

Kanpur zone, Dr Ramayan Prasad Yadav said the tests would ascertain people’s resistance to the coronavirus.

Sampling has been completed in Auraiya. In other districts, the work is on a war footing.

Kanpur city would be covered in the next phase, he added.

Under the venous diagnostic procedure, blood sample is taken from a specific vein for testing.

Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) director general Prof Balram Bhargava has issued guidelines to the state governments for facilitating the venous blood test.

Principal secretary, health,

Amit Mohan Prasad has directed health department officials to arrange venous blood sampling in the nine districts. He has also directed the health officers to assist all the institutes associated with ICMR like National Jalma Institute of Leprosy and Other Mycobacterial Diseases, Agra; Regional Medical Research Centre, Gorakhpur and the National Institute of Cancer and Research, Noida.

As per ICMR directives, tests of Immunoglobulins (Ig) ‘A’, ‘G’, ‘M’, ‘E’ and ‘D’ would be conducted. The IGA antibody is found in the respiratory track, digestive system, saliva, tears and breast milk. IGG, the commonest antibody, is found in blood and other body fluids. This antibody offers protection from bacterial and viral infections.

IGM, the main antibody, is formed when the body is threatened by any infection. It is found in blood and the lymphatic system.

The presence of IGE increases when the body is afflicted with allergy.

THE FIRST PHASE OF THE EXERCISE WILL COVER UNNAO, BAREILLY, SAHARANPUR, GAUTAM BUDH NAGAR, MAU, GONDA, AMROHA BALRAMPUR AND AURAIYA DISTRICTS