Study to help curb dengue to end soon

CHENNAI: A study launched by The National Institute of Epidemiology to help the Chennai Corporation curb chikungunya and dengue will be completed in the next two months. Dr Sanjay Madhav Mehendale, Director of National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE), told City Express on Wednesday that the study, which will map the most affected areas in the city and see if the environment makes the virus more virulent, will be over in the next two months.However, he refused to divulge further details. Interestingly, the study was launched after several children in various parts of the city were found to have been affected by dengue and chikungunya last year.Earlier, Dr Mehendale launched the Sree Balaji Diabetes and Obesity Research Centre here on Wednesday. The centre, which will be headed by Dr S M Rajendran who is also the registrar of the university, will include clinicians and geneticists.Dr Mehendale said there was a rise in non-communicable diseases mortality. “Fifty-three per cent of deaths are caused by non-communicable diseases, including diabetes. By 2015, 60 per cent of deaths will be attributed to it,” he said.He also highlighted the need to conduct research on the role of tobacco in diabetes. “The role of tobacco in diabetes is uncertain and some research will be beneficial,” he added. He also said that diabetes would have an impact on one’s productivity as it affected the most productive age group.Rajendran said the  centre would focus on the role of genes in diabetics other than research on psycho-somatic and lifestyle patterns that caused diabetes among Indians. “The centre will also provide hands-on training to clinicians in genetics and molecular biology,” he said.Rajendran said the initial focus of the centre would be to screen the genome of individuals between 25 and 40 years with or without a family history of diabetes, to understand genetic factors that caused this condition. Subsequently, the research centre would screen the genome of non-diabetic individuals to identify the possibility of developing diabetes, he added.Dr K P Thooyamani, Vice-Chancellor of Bharath University, said it was a proud moment for the university, as the new research centre would help assimilate knowledge and provide the best to students.