NEWS – Nehru Zoological Park to Establish Southern India’s First In-House BSL-3 Lab

HIGHLIGHTS

Overview

• Location: Hyderabad, Telangana
• Significance: First in-house Biosafety Level-3 (BSL-3) laboratory in southern India dedicated to animal disease research.
• Objective: Rapid diagnosis, post-mortem analysis, and research on zoonotic diseases, reducing dependence on external labs.

Facility Features

• Upgrade Plan: Existing mini-laboratory to be modernized with state-of-the-art biosafety equipment and infrastructure.
• Research Focus:
  • Zoonotic diseases (transmission between animals and humans)
  • Infectious disease diagnostics
  • Post-mortem investigations
• Partners in Discussion: Telangana Veterinary Biological & Research Institute, PV Narasimha Rao Telangana Veterinary University, and other government research institutes.

Benefits & Impact

• Faster Diagnostics:
  • Current practice: Samples sent to external labs (time-consuming).
  • New lab: Immediate, in-house testing for quicker results.
• Enhanced Animal Care:
  • Real-time disease detection and prevention strategies.
  • Spot post-mortem analysis to ascertain causes of animal deaths.
• Zoonotic Disease Control:
  • Supports early intervention to prevent cross-species disease outbreaks.

Current Practices at NZP

• Sample Collection:
  • Area-wise fecal sample collection to detect parasitic load.
  • Presently sent to external institutes for confirmation.
• Veterinary Infrastructure:
  • Specialized animal hospital for treatment of sick and rescued animals.
  • Quarantine facility for animals brought from other zoos before display.

Significance for Southern India

• Strategic Advancement:
  • Reduces turnaround time for diagnostics.
  • Strengthens biosecurity within the zoo and the region.
• National Relevance:
  • Aligns with India’s “One Health” approach, integrating human, animal, and environmental health measures.