Title : CRISPR-based point-of-care diagnostics for real-time surveillance of FMDV and LSDV under the One Health framework
Abstract:
Transboundary animal diseases like Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus (FMDV) and Lumpy Skin Disease Virus (LSDV) mostly in Cattles are significant threats to livestock health, food security, and rural livelihoods in India. Their rapid spread across species and environments highlights the urgent need for integrated, field-ready diagnostic and surveillance tools. In alignment with the One Health program of the Government of India, we have - directed our efforts towards developing CRISPR-based point-of-care (POC) diagnostics to enable rapid detection and real-time control of these diseases.
We have developed highly sensitive and specific CRISPR assays - for both FMDV and LSDV, optimized for portability and deployment at the field level. In addition to clinical detection, these assays have been adapted for environmental surveillance, allowing viral signatures to be monitored in soil, feed, farm run-off water, and animal-contact surfaces. This dual strategy provides a broader perspective on disease ecology, capturing early signals of circulation even before clinical outbreaks are observed.
We have carried out surveillance- in high-risk areas such as slaughter house sewage, and non-risk zones such as healthy farms, generating comparative data on viral presence, persistence, and potential transmission dynamics. A total of 130+ samples were tested for FMDV across 5 sites. Our data has identified sites of FMDV prevalence and continue to build the same for LSDV.
We have optimised our assay for field settings by using lyophilization for better stability and long term storage. We have also tested a one-pot version of our CRISPR diagnostic test in clinical as well as environmental samples for LSDV.
Our findings reinforce that CRISPR-based POC diagnostics, when incorporated into the One Health framework, can substantially enhance preparedness for transboundary animal diseases in India. Beyond FMDV and LSDV, our platform (called PathCrisp) is adaptable to other priority pathogens, offering a scalable model that supports national and global objectives in safeguarding animal health, preventing zoonotic spillover, and protecting livelihoods.
The integration of rapid diagnostics with environmental monitoring demonstrates how innovative molecular tools can support outbreak forecasting and enable timely, evidence-based decision-making.
Keywords: Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus (FMDV), Lumpy Skin Disease Virus (LSDV), CRISPR, livestock health, molecular tools, point-of-care, diagnostics.
