Welcome to

College of Veterinary Science
(Assam Agricultural University, Khanapara, Guwahati - 781022)

Bioinformatics Infrastructure Facility
(Sponsored by Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India)

HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT

Dr. Dilip Kumar Sarma

  • Phone: 9864077412
  • Email: dksarma1956@gmail.com

OTHER FACULTY MEMBERS

Research Projects

Title of the project Funding Agency Duration Name of PI Date of implementation
Veterinary Type Culture Collection (VTCC) ICAR, New Delhi Dr. A. K. Hazarika Since 2010
DBT Network On Brucellosis Epidemiology (BE-3) and Translational Research In Vaccines and Diagnostics DBT, New Delhi 5 years Dr. G. K. Saikia Since 2012
All India Network Programme on Haemorrhagic Septicaemia ICAR Dr. R.K. Sharma Since 2000
DBT project on Molecular characterization, Antimicrobial Resistance and Virulence Typing of Pasteurella multocida Isolates from Clinically Healthy Pigs and Pigs with Atropic Rhinitis and Pneumonic Pas DBT 3 years Dr. R.K. Sharma Since 2012
An Epidemiological study of Clostridium difficile: a re-emerging pathogen of public health importance. DBT 3 years Dr. R.K. Sharma Since 2012
Development of Improved Diagnostics with Monitoring and Characterization of Viral and Bacterial Pathogens Associated with Piglet Diarrhoea in North Eastern Region of India DBT 3 years Dr D. P. Bora Since 2012
Development of novel molecular diagnostics and improved vaccine for Duck Plague Virus DBT 3 years Dr. N.N. Barman Since 2013
Classical swine fever with special reference to North Eastern region and sub-project on “Classical Swine Fever: Surveillance and Monitoring in some Northeastern States and establishment of a National DBT 5 years Dr. N.N. Barman Since 2008
Creation of an Online Repository of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics Resources of North-East India (BABRONE) DBT 3 years Dr. P. Borah Since 2011
“Sero-surveillance And Association of Toll-Like Receptors, Th1-Th2 Status And Viral Genotypes In Susceptibility And Severity of Pestis Des Petits Ruminant Among Goats (Capra hircus) And Sheep (Ovis ar DBT 3 years Dr. (Mrs.) S. Das Since 2012
Sero-surveillance, molecular characterization and epidemiology of pox viral infections in animals from North Eastern region of India DBT 3 years Dr. D.P. Bora Since 2013
Aetio-Pathology and molecular epidemiology of bacterial and viral diseases associated with the respiratory problems of Yak in the North Eastern Regions of India DBT 3 years Dr. D.P. Bora Since 2013
Development and deployment of a molecular screen for detection and characterization of influenza virus subtypes from Yak and Mithun in the North Eastern states of India DBT 3 years Dr. S. K. Das Since 2011
AICRP on Animal Disease Monitoring and Surveillance ICAR Dr. S. K. Das
AICRP on FMD ICAR Dr. K. Sharma Since 2010
A study on Sero-prevalence of viruses associated with porcine reproductive problems. DBT 2 years Dr. N.N. Barman Since 2011
Molecular Tying and Virulence Characteristics of Salmonella with Special Reference to Non-host-specific Serovars DBT 3 years Dr. P. Borah Since 2013
AICRP on Epidemiological study on FMD ICAR Dr K Sharma 1973
ICAR-National Fellow Project on Development of ELISA based diagnostics for classical swine fever ICAR 7 years Dr.D.K.Sarma 2005
Prevalence and drivers of select zoonotic pathogens and use of antimicrobials in livestock farms in North-East region: A mixed methods study ICMR 2 years Dr. G.K Saikia
Development of vaccine and vaccination strategy against pneumonic pasteurellosis and swine fever in pigs ICAR 2 years Dr.N.N Barman
Epidemiology, pathology and host immune responses of rotavirus infection in pig ICAR 3 years Dr.N.N Barman
Molecular and immunological characterization and phylogenitic analysis of Indian isolates of classical swine fever virus DBT 3 years Dr.N.N Barman
Advanced Animal Disease Diagnosis and Management Consortium (ADMaC) DBT 5 years Dr.N.N Barman
Molecular Characterization, Antimicrobial resistance and virulence typing of Pasteurellamultocidaisolates from clinically healthy pigs and pigs with atrophic rhinitis and pneumonic DBT 3 years Dr. R. K. Sharma
Genetic Characterization of Antibiotic Resistant Clostridium perfringens and Clostridium difficile, and their Public Health DBT 3 years Dr. R. K. Sharma May, 2018
Development of DIVA diagnostics and Marker vaccine against duck plague virus DBT 3 years Dr.(Ms) Sutopa Das
Development Of Subviral Particle Of Infectious Bursal Disease Virus As A Potential Vaccine And Diagnostic Candidate DBT 3 years Six month Dr.(Ms) Sutopa Das
Molecular Epidemiology of Group A rotavirus (RVA) infections in the North Eastern Region (NER) DBT 3 years Six month Dr.(Ms) Sutopa Das
Sero-surveillance of Leptospira infections in animals of North eastern region of India DBT 3 years Dr. D P Bora
Capacity building and awareness generation towards combating some microbial zoonotic infections through community participation in Kamrup and Lakhimpur district of Assam DBT 3 years Dr. D P Bora
An integrated omics approach to characterize circulating Newcastle disease virus and intervention strategies to control Newcastle disease in North East India DBT 3 years Dr. Pankaj Deka
Fund for Improvement of S&T Infrastructure in Universities and Higher DST 5 years DrS K Das

Salient achievements

A. Prevalence of Disease:

  • FMD of O, A22 and Asia 1 in domestic animals, wild deer, elephant, mithun, yaks are recoded in NER, Type C disappeared.
  • Classical Swine Fever genotype 1 and 2 are prevalent in NE states. Domestic Pigs, Wild boar, Feral pig and Pygmy Hog are considered to susceptible hosts identified.
  • Rota virus Gr A is prevalent in pigs (26.90%), cattle and man.
  • Pasteurellosis due to Groups A & B are most frequently occur in mainly pigs then in cattle.
  • Diarrhoea causing Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (52.36%), Salmonella and oedema disease in pig are identified .
  • Brucellosis is endemic.
  • In pigs Parvo, Adeno and Circo virus are prevalent in NE states
  • Food born disease due to C. perfringens and Enterotoxaemia are identified.
  • High prevalence of duck plague is established in Assam
  • Prevalence of Ranikhet disease virus, Infectious Bursal disease virus, Fowl pox, Pigeon pox virus, Cryptococcus, Orf virus are recorded.
  • Epidemiological investigation revealed the presence of FMDV types O, A and Asia1 in cattle, buffaloes and pigs during the last two decades. Type O is the predominant virus type. FMD outbreaks in yak, mithun and elephant were recorded.
  • Molecular epidemiological study of Classical Swine Fever (CSF) in north eastern region India revealed the predominance of historic subgenotype 1.1 in domestic pigs as well as in pigmy hogs. Sub genotype 2.2 and 2.1 started appearing since 2007 in domestic pigs as well as in wild hogs in NE states.
  • Produced and characterized monoclonal antibodies against CSF virus E2 protein for the first time in India.
  • Phylogenitically characterized more than 20 CSFV isolates from Assam.
  • Prevalence and molecular characterization of Group A rotavirus in domestic animals and man revealed the most common co-circulating types of G-10 and P-7 types in pigs, cattle and man.
  • Pneumonic pasteurellosis in cattle and pigs was found to be caused mostly by Pasteurella multocida serotypes A & B.
  • Aetiopathology of piglet diarrhea revealed frequent association of K88ac Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), rotavirus and less frequently picobirna virus. Salmonella was also isolated from postweaned diarrhoeic piglets.
  • Sudden death in postweanned healthy piglets has been recorded due to oedema disease associated with ETEC.
  • Emerging infectious infertility in cattle is found to be associated with IBR, BVDV and Brucella in Assam and some other North Eastern States.
  • Sero-epidemiological study of reproductive diseases in pigs in NE States revealed the presence of Parvo, Adeno, Circo as well as PRRS viruses.
  • Food born diseases due to C. perfringens, C. deficile were identified in domestic animals.
  • Molecular characterization of duck plague virus revealed high prevalence of the virus in Assam and single serotype is circulating in Assam.
  • Infectious causes of avian diseases showed the frequent presence of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) followed by infectious Bursal disease virus, Fowl pox and Pigeon pox virus. Molecular characterization of NDV reveals appearance of genotype XIII in poultry.
  • Systematic study on livestock diseases showed that pox virus is re-emerging as major disease in goats, pigs as well as in poultry in entire N E states.
  • In Assam PPR in goats has been recorded first time in this department.
  • Deposited number of virus and bacterial isolates to VTCC and maintained a repository of several virus and bacterial isolates and serum samples from vaccinated and infected animals in the department.

B. Standardization of Diagnostics

  • ELISA based diagnostics were standardized for diagnosis of Foot and Mouth Disease Virus (FMDV), Classical swine fever virus (CSFV), Rotavirus (RV), Infectious Bursal disease virus(IBDV) and Duck plague virus (DPV) etc.
  • User friendly indirect ELISA and dot ELISA tests for detection of CSFV antibody have been developed.
  • Standardized Sandwich ELISA for the first time in the country to detect CSFV specific antigen in tissue samples of diseased and slaughtered pigs.
  • FAT standardized for detection of Rabies virus, Swine fever virus, Rotavirus antigen in tissue samples.
  • PCR/ Real time PCR based diagnostic techniques for CSF, RV, DPV, FP, ORF, BHV, ETEC, Salmonella, Clostridia etc.

C. Development of Diagnostics:

  • Development of ELISA for Foot and Mouth Disease Virus (FMDV), Classical swine fever virus (CSFV), Rotavirus (RV), Infectious Bursal disease virus(IBDV), DPV etc.
  • User friendly test for CSF and Rotavirus detection.
  • FAT standardized for detection of Rabies virus, Swine fever virus,Rotavirus in tissue
  • PCR Diagnostic techniques for CSF, RV, DPV, FP, ORF, BHV, ETEC, Salmonella, Clostridia etc.

D. Development of vaccine candidates:

  • Duck plague virus vaccine seed: Development of DPV vaccine from local strain of Assam, Cell culture DPV vaccine is in the pipe- line
  • Swine fever vaccine: Cell culture adapted lapinized vaccine in experimental condition.
  • Enterotoxigenic E coli killed vaccine : Tried in pregnant sows and piglets in experimental condition with satisfactory titer.
  • Swine Pasteurella subunit vaccines: KSCN extract vaccine was found useful
  • Salmonella toxoid vaccine: In house trial carried out in chicken
  • Egg yolk antibody and Colostral antibody raised in Bovine against ETEC: protects neonatal piglets against ETEC infection.

E. Immunization Strategy:

  • Immunization of Pig against FMDV: Oil- adjuvanted FMD vaccine was first tried in pigs in Assam. Elicited protective titre against prevailing types/sub types O, A, C, Asia 1
  • Vaccination strategy against FMD for buffaloes: Single vaccination rendered protection up to 6 months of post vaccination.
  • Simultaneous vaccination strategy against FMD and swine fever in pigs was developed and found satisfactory performance.
  • Combine vaccination with RD and IBDV
  • Organized XXIX Annual Convention of Indian Association of Veterinary Microbiologists, Immunologists and Specialists in Infectious Diseases (IAVMI) and Global Symposium on “Animal Health: Newer Technologies and their Applications” on February 12th-14th, 2016. The conference was organized jointly by the Department of Microbiology, College of Veterinary Science, AAU, Khanapara and the ICAR-National Research Centre on Pig, Rani, Kamrup, Assam.