The threat of Nipha virus
Dr. Mohan Rao A.M.K
Consultant for Pest and Vector Control Working Group, Swiss TPH, Switzerland
Nipah Virus
The Indian state of Kerala has reported two deaths caused by the Nipah virus, as of September 12, 2023. One of them died in September, while the other died on August 30, 2023, an official from the National Institute of Virology has said. This Nipah virus strain is the Bangladesh variant and this variant was first identified in Bangladesh in 2001.?Nipah virus is a zoonotic virus that was discovered in 1999 after an outbreak of disease from the pathogen occurred in pigs and people in Malaysia and Singapore. About 300 people were infected with the virus, and more than 100 people died.?However, some regions of Asia, such as India and Bangladesh, have recorded Nipah virus outbreaks almost annually. Since the Nipah virus was found to spread from one human to another in these outbreaks, scientists are worried that the pathogen may lead to a global pandemic some day.?Nipah virus (family called Paramyxoviridae, and the genus Henipavirus) is zoonotic and can be transmitted between animals and humans. Fruit bats or flying boxes of genus Pteropus are the natural reservoir of the Nipah virus. Animals such as pigs can also be infected with the Nipah virus. The infected persons can suffer from encephalitis, or swelling of the brain. People living in or visiting areas where the Nipah virus is present just avoid exposure to sick pigs and bats in the region, and avoid drinking raw date palm sap which is likely to be contaminated by an infected bat, in order to prevent Nipah virus infection.?
Standard infection control practices such as sanitisation can help prevent transmission of the Nipah virus from one person to another. There is no specific antiviral treatment, so supportive care in a hospital is crucial for Nipah virus patients. The Nipah virus can be spread to people through direct contact with infected animals such as bats or pigs, or by coming in contact with the body fluids of infected animals. The pathogen also spreads to people when they come in close contact with infected humans. Consumption of palm sap or fruit contaminated by a bat infected with the Nipah virus can also cause Nipah virus infection. Person-to-person transmission of the Nipah virus is not regularly reported in Bangladesh and India, and is mostly seen in the families of infected people.?The Nipah virus can spread relatively quickly within close contact, but it is not as contagious as some other viruses like the influenza virus. The containment measures can prevent widespread transmission of the Nipah virus to other states.?The disease has high mortality rate, and there exists no specific treatment for or vaccine against Nipah virus infection.
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The symptoms of Nipah virus infection to appear about four to 14 days after exposure to the virus. In the first three to 14 days, the infected person suffers from fever and headache, and shows signs of respiratory illness such as cough, difficulty breathing, and sore throat.?After this, the person may suffer from brain swelling or encephalitis. When brain swelling occurs, symptoms such as drowsiness, mental confusion, and disorientation start showing up. If not treated, the person may go into a coma. Different tests which can diagnose Nipah virus infection include laboratory tests such as polymerase chain reactions. These are effective during the early stages of the illness, and are performed on throat and nasal swabs, urine, blood, and the cerebrospinal fluid.?Since the virus does not result in symptoms specific to the pathogen, it is quite difficult to diagnose illness caused by it at early stages of the infection.
Healthcare workers, who are in close contact with patients infected with the Nipah virus, are some of the people at the highest risk of Nipah virus infection. Other people, including security personnel who are in close contact with infected individuals are also at a high risk of infection.