MCD for early treatment of the disease

The Corporation will treat patients based on results of NS1 antigen test and not Elisa test as done earlier

MCD for early treatment of the disease

The Corporation will treat patients based on results of NS1 antigen test and not Elisa test as done earlier

In an effort to curb spread of dengue cases in the city and give the exact number of people infected by the virus, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has decided to depend on test results of the NS1 antigen test kit.

Following the guidelines laid down by the National Vector Borne Diseases Control Programme, the MCD till date took into account the cases tested for dengue using the Elisa test - commercial kits for diagnosis of dengue - and started treatment based on the result by this test.

"We have decided that from this year we will start treatment of patients for dengue based on test results produced by NS1 antigen test and not Elisa test. This will help us in curbing dengue cases. Also, the head count of dengue cases in the city will be based on results given by this test," Dr V K Monga, chairperson the MCD Health Committee said. NS1 antigen test and Elisa test are two commercial kits available for diagnosis of dengue. While NS1 diagnoses for dengue within first five days after being bitten by an infected aedes mosquito, the Elisa kit delivers results a little later.

"NS1 antigen test results are based on antigens that appear on day one after immediate onset of fever or infection. It gives 95 per cent accurate results. Elisa gives 100 per cent accurate results but is dependent on antibodies that appear almost five days after one has been infected. Since our aim is to stop spread of the disease, early treatment is the safest option. So instead of waiting for the disease to become too contagious and start treatment thereafter it is best to start earlier so that the patient does not end up in a stage of falling platelet count and a long hospital stay," Monga said.