NICED : Scientists

Dr. Alok Kumar Deb

Dr. Deb graduated from NRS Medical College & Hospital, Kolkata in 1990 and served there as a resident house physician in the departments of internal medicine and hematology. He started his research career in 1993 as a Senior Research Fellow at the National Institute of Cholera & Enteric Diseases (NICED), Kolkata, which is one of the premier institutes under Indian Council of Medical Research and is a WHO collaborative center for research and training on diarrheal diseases. In 1999, he received a fellowship from the NIH/Fogarty International Center, USA to pursue doctoral studies in Epidemiology in School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles and earned his PhD in 2006. Since 2002, he is serving NICED as a Senior Research Officer (Scientist 'C') in the Division of Epidemiology.

During his research career, he worked in various capacities in a number of research projects on different aspects diarrheal diseases, including drug trials and trials of different formulations of ORS (hypoosmolar and rice-based) in children and adults. He acted as co-investigator in large community-based vaccine trials for typhoid fever and cholera, and participated in advanced vaccinology courses in Korea and France. As the principal investigator, he worked and supervised in studies related to Haemophilus influenzae type b infections in children, HIV in migrant workers and cholera vaccination in infants. He also served as technical expert in various project development meetings including WHO/TDR meetings and as a consultant of diarrheal disease program of Institute for One World Health, USA. His special interest is in identifying data gaps in important public health areas and conducting methodologically sound studies that can potentially fill-in those gaps and improve the health of the community through planning and formulation of better health actions and policies.

Profile

Publications

2020

1. Mitra S, Nayak MK, Majumdar A, Sinha A, Chatterjee S, Deb A, Chawla-Sarkar M, Dutta S. Development and evaluation of a multiplex conventional reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction assay for detection of common viral pathogens causing acute gastroenteritis. Diagn Micr Infect Dis. 2020 Aug; 97(4):115061.

   ---

2019

1. Mukhopadhyay AK, Deb AK, Chowdhury G, Debnath F, Samanta P, Saha RN, Manna B, Bhattacharya MK, Datta D, Okamoto K, Bhadra UK, Dutta S. Post-monsoon waterlogging-associated upsurge of cholera cases in and around Kolkata metropolis, 2015. Epidemiol Infec 2019; 147 (e167): 1-8. Pubmed

   ---

2018

1. Banerjee A, Lo M, Indwar P, Deb AK, Das S, Manna B, Dutta S, Bhadra UK, Bhattacharya M, Okamoto K, Chawla-Sarkar M. Upsurge and spread of G3 rotaviruses in Eastern India (2014-2016): Full genome analyses reveals heterogeneity within Wa-like genomic constellation. Infect Genet Evol 2018; 63: 158-74 Pubmed

   ---

2. Bhakat D, Debnath A, Naik R, Chowdhury G, Deb AK, Mukhopadhyay AK, Chatterjee NS. Identification of common virulence factors present in enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli solated from diarrheal patients in Kolkata, India. J Appl Microbiol 2018; 126: 255-65.  Pubmed

   ---

3. Bhattacharjya C, Pathak G, Goswami Mahanta T, Singh YM, Deka R, Sen M, Deb AK. Emerging HIV epidemic in the north-eastern State of Assam, India: An exploratory study using mixed-methods approach. World J AIDS 2018; 8: 21-36.

   ---

2017

1. Deb AK, Dutta S, Hnichho C, Vanlalpeki M, Phosa HT, Rakhu K, Fanai SL. Chakrabarti M, Panda S. A case control study investigating factors associated with high infant death in Saiha district of Mizoram, India bordering Myanmar. BMC Pediatr 2017; 17(1): 23 (doi: 10.1186/s12887-017-0778-z).  Pubmed

   ---

2015

1. Saha MK, Mahapatra T, Biswas S, Ghosh P, Mahapatra S, Deb AK, Diwan K. Sociobehavioral Correlates of HIV Risk among Men Who Have Sex with Men in Chhattisgarh, India: Analysis of Sentinel Surveillance Data. Jpn J Infect Dis 2015; 68:38–44. . Pubmed

   ---

2. Bhattacharjya C, Patel SK, Panda S, Deb AK. Changing HIV epidemic in North-Eastern India and its relationship with development and programmatic indicators. World J AIDS 2015; 5: 265-74.

   ---

2014

1. Panda S, Deb AK, Chawla-Sarkar M, Ramamurthy T, Ganguly S, Pradhan P, Chakraborty A, Desai S, Gupte MD, Dhere R. Factors associated with diarrhoea in young children and incidence of symptomatic rotavirus infection in rural West Bengal, India. Epidemiol Infect 2014; 10:1-11 Pubmed

   ---

2013

1. Mukherjee A, Mullick S, Deb AK, Panda S, Chawla-Sarkar M. First Report of Human Rotavirus G8P[4] Gastroenteritis in India: Evidence of Ruminants-to-Human Zoonotic Transmission. J Med Virol 2013; 85: 537-45 Pubmed

   ---

2011

1. Deb AK, Kanungo S, Nair GB, Narain JP. The challenge of pneumonia & acute diarrhoea at global, regional & national levels: Time to refocus on a top most priority health problem. [Editorial]. Indian J Med Res 2011; 133(2): 128-30. Pubmed

   ---

2010

1. Gupta M, Kumar R, Deb AK, Bhattacharya SK, Bose A, John J, Balraj V, Ganguly NK, Kant L, Kapoor AN, Watt J, Shearer J, Santosham M; Hib study working group. Multi-center surveillance for pneumonia & meningitis among children (<2 yr) for Hib vaccine probe trial preparation in India. Indian J Med Res 2010;131: 649-58. Pubmed

   ---

2009

1. Deb AK, Deb M, Saha MK, Chakraborty S, Bhattacharya SK, Detels R.HIV transmission potential among local and migrant factory workers in Kolkata, India. AIDS Behav 2009;13(5): 928-38. Pubmed

   ---

2007

1. Sen B, Dutta S, Sur D, Manna B, Deb AK, Bhattacharya SK, Niyogi SK. Phage typing, biotyping & antimicrobial resistance profile of Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi from Kolkata. Indian J Med Res 2007; 125: 685-8.  Pubmed

   ---

2006

1. Manna B, Deb A, Bhattacharya SK. Diarrhoeal Diseases. In: Database for Diseases Burden Estimation – Malaria, Filaria, Dengue & Diarrhoeal Diseases, pp. 71-91. Indian Council of Medical Research (in collaboration with WHO India Country Office), New Delhi, 2006

   ---

2. Dutta S, Sur D, Manna B, Sen B, Deb AK, Deen JL, Wain J, von Seidlein L, Ochiai L, Clemens JD, Bhattacharya SK. Evaluation of new-generation serologic tests for the diagnosis of typhoid fever: Data from a community-based surveillance in Calcutta, India. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis 2006; 56(4): 359-65. Pubmed

   ---

3. Sur D, Sarkar BL, Manna B, Deen JL, Datta S, Niyogi SK, Ghosh AN, Deb A, Kanungo S, Palit A, Bhattacharya SK. Epidemiological, microbiological & electron microscopic study of a cholera outbreak in a Kolkata slum community. Indian J Med Res 2006; 123(1): 31-6 Pubmed

   ---

4. Sur D, von Seidlein L, Manna B, Dutta S, Deb AK, Sarkar BL, Kanungo S, Deen JL, Ali M, Kim DR, Gupta VK, Ochiai RL, Tsuzuki A, Acosta CJ, Clemens JD, Bhattacharya SK. The malaria and typhoid fever burden in the slums of Kolkata, India: data from a prospective community-based study. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 2006; 100(8): 725-33 Pubmed

   ---

2005

1. Sur D, Deen JL, Manna B, Niyogi SK, Deb AK, Kanungo S, Sarkar BL, Kim DR, Danovaro-Holliday MC, Holliday K, Gupta VK, Ali M, von Seidlein L, Clemens JD, Bhattacharya SK. The burden of cholera in the slums of Kolkata, India: data from a prospective community-based study. Arch Dis Child 2005; 90(11): 1175-81. Pubmed

   ---

2004

1. Sur D, Manna B, Deb AK, Deen JL, Danovaro-Holliday MC, von Seidlein L, Clemens JD, Bhattacharya SK. Factors associated with reported diarrhoea episodes and treatment-seeking in an urban slum of Kolkata, India. J Health Popul Nutr 2004; 22(2): 130-8.  Pubmed

   ---

2000

1. Bhattacharya MK, Ghosh S, Mukhopadhyay AK, Deb A, Bhattacharya SK. Outbreak of cholera caused by Vibrio cholerae O1 intermediately resistant to norfloxacin at Malda, West Bengal. J Indian Med Assoc 2000; 98(7): 389-390. Pubmed

   ---

2. Dutta D, Bhattacharya MK, Deb AK, Sarkar D, Chatterjee A, Biswas AB, Chatterjee K, Nair GB, Bhattacharya SK. Evaluation of oral hypo-osmolar glucose-based and rice-based oral rehydration solutions in the treatment of cholera in children. Acta Paediatr 2000; 89(7): 787-790. . Pubmed

   ---

1999

1. Bhattacharya, S. K., A. K. Deb and Nair Gopinath Balakrish, 1999. Enteric pathogens. [Review]. In: National Report 1994-1999. Indian National Committee for International Union of Microbiological Societies (IUMS). Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi. pp. 227-246.

   ---

1998

1. Bhattacharya MK, Bhattacharya SK, Dutta D, Deb A, Deb M, Dutta A, Saha Choudhury A, Nair GB, Mahalanabis D. Efficacy of oral hypoosmolar glucose-based and rice-based oral rehydration salt solutions in the treatment of cholera in adults. Scand J Gastroenterol 1998; 33(2): 159-163. . Pubmed

   ---

2. Bhattacharya MK, Dutta D, Bhattacharya SK, Deb A, Mukhopadhyay AK, Nair GB, Shimada T, Takeda Y, Chowdhury A, Mahalanabis D. Association of a disease approximating cholera by Vibrio cholerae of serogroups other than O1 and O139. Epidemiol Infect 1998; 120(1): 1-5.  Pubmed

   ---

3. Dutta D, Bhattacharya MK, Deb A, Saha Chowdhury A, Nair GB, Ramakrishna BS, Bhattacharya SK. Uncooked rice powder in oral rehydration solution: an alternative to glucose or cooked rice powder. Indian J Med Res 1998; 107: 257-262.  Pubmed

   ---

4. Bhattacharya MK, Dutta D, Deb A, Garg P, Chakraborty S, Mukhopadhyay AK, Bhattacharya SK, Moitra A. Acute secretory travelers' diarrhoea caused by Vibrio cholerae which does not belong to the O1 or O139 serogroup. Natl Med J India 1998; 11(5): 248-9. Pubmed

   ---

1997

1. Bhattacharya SK, Bhattacharya MK, Dutta D, Dutta S, Deb M, Deb A, Das KP, Koley H, Nair GB. Double-blind, randomized clinical trial for safety and efficacy of norfloxacin for shigellosis in children. Acta Paediatr 1997; 86(3): 319-320.  Pubmed

   ---

1996

1. Dutta D, Bhattacharya SK, Bhattacharya MK, Deb A, Deb M, Manna B, Moitra A, Mukhopadhyay AK, Nair GB. Efficacy of norfloxacin and doxycycline for treatment of Vibrio cholerae O139 infection. J Antimicrob Chemother 1996; 37(3): 575-581.  Pubmed

   ---

1995

1. Bhattacharya SK, Bhattacharya MK, Manna B, Dutta D, Deb A, Dutta P, Goswami AG, Dutta S, Sarkar S, Mukhopadhyay A, Krishnan T, Naik TN, Nair GB. Risk factors for development of dehydration in young children with acute watery diarrhoea: a case-control study. Acta Paediatr 1995; 84(2): 160-164.  Pubmed

   ---

1994

1. Bhattacharya SK, Goswami AG, Bhattacharya MK, Dutta D, Deb A, Deb M, Sircar BK, Saha Chowdhury A, Das KP, Nair GB. Epidemic of Vibrio cholerae O139 in Calcutta. Indian J Med Res 1994; 100: 213-216. Pubmed

   ---

1993

1. Bhattacharya SK, Bhattacharya MK, Nair GB, Dutta D, Deb A, Ramamurthy T, Garg S, Saha PK, Dutta P, Moitra A, Mandal BK, Shimada T, Takeda Y, Deb BC. Clinical profile of acute diarrhoea cases infected with the new epidemic strain of Vibrio cholerae O139: designation of the disease as cholera. J Infection 1993; 27(1): 11-15. . Pubmed

   ---

Policy Brief

1. Panda S, Chatterjee P, Deb AK, Kanungo S, Dutta S. Oral Cholera Vaccines - Worth a Shot? [Policy Brief]. Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, November 2017.

   ---

Book Chapters

1. Deb AK. Cholera. In: Textbook of Pediatric Infectious Diseases (Indian Academy of Pediatrics) [Ed: A Parthasarathy], Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Ltd., New Delhi, 2013, pp. 238-41

   ---

2. Chatterjee P, Deb A, Kanungo S, Dutta S. Impact of Climate Change on Waterborne Diseases. [Submitted for publication by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Govt. of India].

   ---