Mr Sujit Pujhari, Ph.D. student of the department of Virology, PGIMER, Chandigarh has been awarded the prestigious “ISID Small Grants” of the “International Society for Infectious Disease”, Boston, USA to carry out research projects in infectious diseases. This is one of the best opportunities to persue his research work on “Significance of pattern
recognition molecules (Toll like Receptors) in the neuropathogenesis of Japanese encephalitis“, under the guidance of Dr Ratho, HOD, Virology. The study will help the scientists to unravel the poorly understood pathogenesis of the Japanese Encephalitis Viral Disease. The project has been funded for a period of one year.The virus belongs to the arbovirus family being transmitted by the “Culex Vishnui” group of mosquitoes who prefer to breed in the water logged paddy fields. The post monsoon months (August-November) of the year are favourable for JE transmission. Major epidemics of JE with a mortality of 10 – 30% have been experienced in recent past in the
states of UP (Gorakhpur), Haryana and other rice growing states of India. Commonly the children below 15 years of age are more prone,although cases in adults have also been recorded.