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  • - Mail Us: deangtmc@gmail.com

Kochi - Madurai - Dhanushkodi Rd,Theni, Tamil Nadu - 625531

  • The Department of Microbiology was sanctioned for Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL) under the scheme “Establishment of a network of Laboratories for managing epidemics and Natural Calamities” by ICMR in September 2014.
  • The Department processed approximately > 10, 00, 000 samples (including COVID-19 testing) for the diagnosis of various viral infections; mainly contributed for the early detection of Dengue and COVID outbreaks.
  • During the initial phase of COVID pandemic, our laboratory is one of the two approved centers in Tamil Nadu for the diagnosis of COVID 19. 
  • Our VRDL was selected as QC/QA Lab for COVID testing and we have been assigned to monitor the performance of 43 COVID testing labs across the southern part of Tamil Nadu (2021-2023).
  • During 2020, Prepared more than >200 litres of hand sanitizers and distributed through DDHS for public use.
  • During 2020, prepared >10,000 tubes of VTM and distributed to DDHS for samples collection.
  • The VRDL conducting Workshop on Viral Diagnostics for every year in Post Graduate students.

Major equipment’s available 

  1. Real-Time PCR (CFX96 –BioRad)

  2. Applied Biosystem 7500 Real-Time PCR

  3. Thermal Cyclers

  4. KingFisher Flex System Automated RNA/DNA Extraction 96 test

  5. Bioteke Corporation -32 samples -Nucleic acid purification system (HELINI-MagPure)-32 test

  6. Applied BiosystemsVeriti™ Thermal Cycler

  7. Bio safety level II cabinet

  8. Deep freezer(-80°C)

  9. Deep freezer(-20°C)

  10. Freeze dryers / Lyophilizers

  11. CO2 Incubator (Thermo scientific)

  12. Invertedphase contrast fluorescence microscope (Nikon)

  13. Refrigerator centrifuge

  14. Electronic weighting Balance

  15. CytoFLEX Flow Cytometer (Beckman Coulter)

  16. Flow Cytometry (Sysmex)

  17. ELISA reader

  18. ELISA washer

Dr.Sucila Thangam MD

Dr.G. Sucila Thangam

Professor and Head/PI-VRDL In charge EQA Dengue

Qualification : MBBS,MD

Dr. M.Arundadhi

Assistant Professor/ CO-PI

Qualification : MBBS,MD

Miss. S. Krishnapriya

Research Assistant

Qualification : M.Sc

Qualification : M.Sc, (Ph. D)

Dr. R. Gopinath

Scientist B

Qualification : M.Sc., M.Phil., Ph.D,

Mrs.P. Thenmozhi

Lab Technician

Qualification : DMLT

Mrs.M. Suriyakala

Lab Technician

Qualification : DMLT

Qualification : DEEE

Mr. S. Jayapandi

Multitask worker

Qualification : BA

Miss. Selvi Krishnan

Project Research Scientist (Non-Medical)

Qualification :

Miss. Madhumitha Patchaiyappan

Project Technician II

Qualification :

LIST OF VIRUSES DIAGNOSED IN VRDL 

Etiology (Name of virus) 

Test done

 (ELISA, PCR, Real Time PCR)

 

Influenza A H1N1

Real Time PCR

 

SARS CoV-2

Real Time PCR

ZIKA

Real Time PCR

Hepatitis A Virus

ELISA

Hepatitis B Virus

ELISA& Real Time PCR

Scrub typhus

ELISA& Real Time PCR

Leptospirosis

ELISA

 

Hepatitis C Virus

ELISA& Real Time PCR

Hepatitis E Virus

ELISA

Dengue

ELISA & Real Time PCR

Chikungunya

ELISA

Herpes simplex virus-1

ELISA

Herpes simplex virus-2

ELISA

Varicella zoster virus

ELISA

Measles

ELISA

Mumps

ELISA

Rubella

ELISA

Cytomegalovirus

ELISA

Epstein Barr virus (EBV)

ELISA

Japanese encephalitis (JE)

ELISA

Rota Virus 

Rapid/ELISA

 

PARTICIPATION IN EQAS AND QA/QC 

Name of the test 

Conducted  by 

Dengue IgM 

NIV, Pune & CMC Vellore  

Chikungunya IgM 

NIV, Pune& CMC Vellore

Japanese E IgM 

NIV, Pune& CMC Vellore

Influenza A H1N1 and H3N2 

NIV, Pune

Hepatitis A IgM 

H   e CMC Vellore pas A Virus

Hepatitis B Virus (HBsAg)

CMC Vellore

Hepatitis C Virus IgM

CMC Vellore

 Anti JE IgM antibody ELISA

KGMU, Lucknow

HBsAg and HCV Antibody Rapid Test

Government Medical College, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar (Aurangabad) - 431001.Maharashtra

Scrub Typhus – IgM ELISA 

JIPMER 

Puducherry


Photos

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Research Grant:

  • Department of Microbiology- Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL) funded by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)/ Department of Health Research (DHR), New Delhi- Funded by ICMR/DHR
  • To enhance the quality of infectious disease diagnosis in India through implementation of an External Quality Assurance Program– under National Health Research Priority (NHRP) on One Health- Funded by ICMR/DHR

TRAINING PROGRAMS CONDUCTED

S. No

Subject

Year

No. of personnel trained  

1

Sensitization program on VRDL at GTMC

2015

20

2

Availability of VRDL at Govt. Theni Medical College

2016

30

3

Human Resource Development - Workshop on Viral Diagnostics to Post Graduates in Life Sciences 

2016

12

4

Human Resource Development - Workshop on Viral Diagnostics to Post Graduates in Life Sciences

2017

11

5

Human Resource Development - Workshop on Viral Diagnostics to Post Graduates in Life Sciences

2018

14

6

Human Resource Development - Workshop on Viral Diagnostics to Post Graduates in Life Sciences

2019

12

7

Human Resource Development - Workshop on Viral Diagnostics to Post Graduates in Life Sciences

2020

15

8

Human Resource Development - Workshop on Viral Diagnostics to Post Graduates in Life Sciences

2021

13

9

Human Resource Development - Workshop on Viral Diagnostics to Post Graduates in Life Sciences

2022

16

10

Human Resource Development - Workshop on Viral Diagnostics to Post Graduates in Life Sciences

2023

20

11

Human Resource Development - Workshop on Viral Diagnostics to Post Graduates in Life Sciences

2024

24

12

Human Resource Development - Workshop on Viral Diagnostics to Post Graduates in Life Sciences

2025

27

Completed research works
 

  1. Study on the prevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus-2 in Theni District, Tamil Nadu.

  2. Retrospective Seroprevalence Study of Dengue, Chikungunya and Co-Infection virus: A Hospital Based Study from Theni, Tamil Nadu.

  3. Seroprevalence of various viral diseases: A hospital based study.

  4. Determination of ‘missed out Dengue NS1’ proportion in Dengue IgM negative population.

  5. Serotyping and genotyping of dengue virus circulating in Theni District.

  6. Prevalence of HSV, EBV, VZV, CMV, HBV and HCV co-infection among HIV positive individuals.

  7. Prevalence of Measles, Mumps, Rubella IgG antibodies among children less than 5 yrs.

  8. Prevalence of HSV, EBV, VZV, CMV IgG antibodies among voluntary blood donors.

  9. Determination of proportion of Dengue positivity in voluntary blood donors: A pilot study.

  10. Studies on Genomic Epidemiology of SARS-Cov2 from Theni, Tamilnadu.

  11. Seroprevalence and clinical profile of Leptospirosis and Scrub typhus in clinically suspected patients in a tertiary care center: A Retrospective study from Theni, Tamil Nadu.

  12. Seroprevalence, Quantification and risk factors for Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C Viral Load by Real-Time PCR in clinically suspected patients attending a tertiary care hospital.

  13. Evaluation of Dried Blood Spots (DBS) for Scrub Typhus Diagnosis using ELISA

 

Ongoing research works

  1. Development of genotyping-based RT-qPCR platform for Hepatitis A Virus Assay using Serum and Stool Specimens

  2. Clinical and serological differentiation of primary and secondary dengue infections - A cross sectional study in a tertiary care centre.

  3. Molecular analysis of influenza virus circulating in Theni district.

  4. Genotyping of Hepatitis A and E viruses circulating in Theni District.

  5. Anti Dengue virus properties of small molecule natural compounds.

  6. Factors influencing the transmission, diagnosis, management and treatment outcome of viral hepatitis with special emphasis on high-risk population

  7. A prospective study on changes in gut microbiome signatures with the progression of Hepatitis B Virus & C Virus infection before and after treatment.

  8. Mapping dengue virus (DENV) serotype-specific neutralizing epitopes on envelope E protein by deep mutational scanning.

  9. Studies on viral load and immune correlates in HIV & HBV and HIV & HCV co-infection.

  10. Clinical and serological differentiation of primary and secondary dengue infections - A cross sectional study in a tertiary care center.

Research publications

  1. Ramlingam, Gopinath; Muthukumar, Arundadhi; Aridass, Dhanasezhian; Ganesan, Sucila Thangam. Seroprevalence and Clinical Profile of Leptospirosis and Scrub Typhus in Clinically Suspected Patients at a Tertiary Care Center: A Retrospective Study from Theni, Tamil Nadu. Biomedical and Biotechnology Research Journal 8(3):p 382-386, Jul–Sep 2024. | DOI: 10.4103/bbrj.bbrj_192_24

  2. Sucila Thangam G, M. Arundadhi, M. Amudhan, R. Gopinath. Antimicrobial Potentiality of a New Beta Lactam Antibiotic Fosfomycin among Multidrug Resistant, Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamase Producing, Carbapenem Resistant Uropathogens. International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research 2024; 16(7); 360-366. e-ISSN: 0975-1556, p-ISSN:2820-2643

  3. Gopinath R, Arundadhi M, Thangam GS. Recognizing The Significance of Scrub Typhus as An Emerging Threat. Natl J Community Med 2024;15(7):615-616. DOI: 10.55489/njcm.150720243946

  4. Gopinath Ramalingam, Muthukumar A, Sivadoss R, Rajan G, Aridass D, Murugesan A, et al. Genomic epidemiology of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 from Theni, Tamil Nadu. J Family Med Prim Care. 2024;13:1727-33. https://doi.org/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1698_23

  5. Gopinath R.; Arundadhi M.; Dhanasezhian A.; Thangam G. Sucila. From gut to brain: Deciphering the impact of gut microbiota on neurological health. Novel Research in Microbiology Journal (2024), 8(2): 2339-2353. DOI: 10.21608/NRMJ.2024.273319.1479

  6. Gopinath Ramalingam, Arundadhi M, Revathi R, Sowndarya M, Dhanasezhian A, Thangam GS. Exploring the Potential of Human Papilloma Virus: An Overview. Natl J Community Med 2023; 14(12):866-875. DOI: 10.55489/njcm.141220233369

  7. Gopinath R, Sundaram AL, Dhanasezhian A, Arundadhi M, Thangam GS. Seroprevalence of various viral diseases: A hospital‑based study. Journal of Global Infectious Diseases.2023; 15:144-8.  I.F-1.6

  8. Gopinath R, Gopinathan R, Jegatheesh R, Dhanasezhiyan A, Amudhan M, Lallitha S. Study on the prevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus-2 in Theni District, Tamil Nadu. Biomedical and Biotechnology Research Journal (BBRJ). 2023 Apr 1;7(2):176-80. I.F-1.4

  9. Gopinath R, Dhanasezhiyan A, Krishnapriya S, Prasanth SM, Thangam GS. A Retrospective Seroprevalence Study of Dengue, Chikungunya and Co-Infection virus: A Hospital Based Study from Theni, Tamil Nadu. Journal of Pure & Applied Microbiology. 2023 Sep 1;17(3). I.F-0.8

  10. Gopinath R, Arundadhi M, Vijay S, Dhanasezhian A, Thangam GS. A Review on the Seasonal and Pandemic Potential of Influenza a (H3N2) virus. Tuijin Jishu/Journal of Propulsion Technology. 2023 Sep 11;44(3):1339-46.

  11. Poornakala Ramu, M. Udayashri, M. Basheer Ahamed, Nithyagomatheswari Subbiah, T. Jeyamurugan, V. Kalaivani, R. Gopinath, T. Sankaranarayanan. Evaluation of antimicrobial resistance and characterization of virulence factors of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates with special reference to biofilm formation. Biomed Biotechnol Res J 2023; 7:450-7. I.F-1.4

  12. Aridass Dhanasezhian, Murugesan Amudhan, Sucila Thangam. Low Prevalence of Mumps IgG Antibodiesamong the Paediatric PopulationAttending Tertiary Care Hospital in Southern India- A Pilot Study. Jan 2023 Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research.

  13. Ganesan M, Sudha R, Amudhan M, Thangam GS. Lesson learned: Retrospective analysis of ‘missed out’ dengue NS1 positives among IgM negative population. Asian Pac J Trop Med.2020 [cited 2020 Oct 20];13:221-6 

  14. Anbalagan A. Meena, Amudhan Murugesan, Surliappan Sopnajothi, Yean K. Yong, P. Sankar Ganesh, Irudhayaraj J. Vimali, Ramachandran Vignesh, Manickan Elanchezhiyan, Meganathan Kannan, Aditya P. Dash, and Esaki M. Shankar. Increase of Plasma TNF-α Is Associated with Decreased Levels of Blood Platelets in Clinical Dengue Infection.Viral Immunology.Feb 2020.54-60.

  15. Sathappan U. Preeyaa, Amudhan Murugesan, Surliappan Sopnajothi, Yean K. Yong, Hong Y. Tan, Marie Larsson, Vijayakumar Velu, and Esaki M. Shankar. Peripheral Follicular T Helper Cells and Mucosal-Associated Invariant T Cells Represent Activated Phenotypes During the Febrile Phase of Acute Dengue Virus Infection. Viral Immunology.ahead of print http://doi.org/10.1089/vim.2020.0149 

  16. Murugesan A, Aridoss D, Senthilkumar S, Sivathanu L, Sekar R, Shankar EM, et al. Molecular diversity of dengue virus serotypes 1–4 during an outbreak of acute dengue virus infection in Theni, India. Indian J Med Microbiol 2020;38.

  17. Rao C, Kaur H, Gupta N, Sabeena SP, Ambica R, Jain A, Yadav A, Dwibedi B, Malhotra B, Kakru DK, Biswas D, Ganesan, M.; Sabat, Jyotsnamayee; Dhingra, Kanwardeep; Lalitha, S. Geographical distribution of primary & secondary dengue cases in India–2017: A cross-sectional multicentric study. The Indian journal of medical research. 2019 Apr;149(4):548.

  18. Swarna. S, Lallitha. S, Amuthan. M, Ganesan . M, Rajkumar. M, Dhanasezhian. A , Sekhar. R, K. M. Mythreyee, Study on prevalence of dengue fever in a tertiary care hospital, south India, Global journal for research analysis, VOLUME-7, ISSUE-1, JANUARY-2018.

  19. Ganesan M, Thangam GS, Sekar R, Sudha R. Laboratory Request Form Revamped: Pictogram Based Symptoms Afford Adequate Patient's Clinical Information in High Patient Load Setting. Journal of Clinical & Diagnostic Research. 2019 Sep 1;13(9).

  20. Ganesan Mahadevan, Sucila thangam Ganesan,Ramalingam sekar, Robert Sudha. Laboratory Request Form Revamped: Pictogram Based Symptoms Afford Adequate Patient's Clinical Information in High Patient Load Setting. September 2019. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research 13(9):LC19-LC22.






 

Book Chapter:

Title: Evolution of the Ebola virus into deadliest viruses of mankind

Author: Gopinath Ramalingam, Gowsalya Saminathan, Gopinathan R, Krishnapriya S and Lallitha S

Book: Recent Advances in Microbiology Research

Edition: Volume -1 Edition-1-2021

First Published: 2021 

Imprint: Darshan Publishers,

Pages : 1-9

eBook ISBN : 978-81-954602-3-6

 

Title: Impacts of Delta variant in SARS CoV 2 Evolution

Author: Krishnapriya Subramani, S. Swarna, Lallitha S and Gopinath Ramalingam 

Book: Recent Advances in Microbiology Research

Edition: Volume -1 Edition-1-2021

First Published: 2021 

Imprint: Darshan Publishers,

Pages: 10-22

eBook ISBN: 978-81-954602-3-6

 

Title: Emergence of Viral Hemorrhagic Fever as a Global Threat

Author: R. Gopinath, A.L. Meenakshi Sundaram, A. Dhanasezhian and G. Sucila Thangam

Book: Research in Microbiology

Edition: Volume -8 

First Published: 2023 

Imprint: AkiNik Publications TM,

Pages: 37-55

Book DOI: https://doi.org/10.22271/ed.book.2282

ISBN: 978-93-5570-773-4

 

Title: Assessing the Prevalence and Seroprevalence of Acute Dengue and Chikungunya Virus Infections from Theni, Tamil Nadu, India: A Retrospective Hospital-Based Study

Author: R. Gopinath , M. Arundadhi , A. Dhanasezhian a, M. Sowndarya, Daya Pauline S. and G. Sucila Thangam

Book: Medical Research and Its Applications 

Edition: Volume -1

First Published: 2024 

Imprint: BP International

Pages: 109-121

Book DOI: https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/mria/v1/307

Print ISBN: 978-81-973316-2-6

eBook ISBN: 978-81-973316-4-0

Title: Engineered Phage Therapy and Drug Delivery: Mechanisms, Applications, and Challenges

Author: R. Gopinath , M. Arundadhi , A. Dhanasezhian and G. Sucila Thangam

Book: Current Knowledge on Novel Drug Delivery Systems 

Edition: Volume -1

Publication Year: June, 2024 

Imprint: Prime Publication, New Delhi, India

Pages: 01-23

Print ISBN: 979-65-826159-1-6

AWARDS / ACHIEVEMENTS – STUDENTS / FACULTIES

  1. Dr. R.Gopinath, M.Sc., M.Phil., Ph.D, Scientist B awarded best paper in poster presentation for the paper titled on “A Retrospective Seroprevalence Study of Dengue, Chikungunya, and Co-infection Virus: a Hospital-Based Study from Theni, Tamil Nadu in the International Conference on Infectious Diseases & Antimicrobial Resistance - MICROSUMMIT-2023 from 28th -29th August, 2023 at Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Chennai, India.
  2. Dr. G.Sucila Thangam and Dr. R.Gopinath,  awarded International Best Researcher award for the Research & Excellence in Microbiology/ Virology-ISSN Awards, International Research awards and congress on June 30, 2024 at Trichy, India.