Nipah virus

Nipah virus is a zoonotic virus (it is transmitted from animals to humans) and can also be transmitted through contaminated food or directly between people. In infected people, it causes a range of illnesses from asymptomatic (subclinical) infection to acute respiratory illness and fatal encephalitis. The virus can also cause severe disease in animals such as pigs, resulting in significant economic losses for farmers.

Transmission

Nipah virus can be transmitted to humans from animals (such as bats or pigs), or contaminated foods and can also be transmitted directly from human-to-human. Fruit bats of the Pteropodidae Family are the natural host of Nipah virus. There is strong evidence that emergence of bat-related viral infection communicable to humans and animals has been attributed to the loss of natural habitats of bats. As the flying fox habitat is destroyed by human activity the bats get stressed and hungry, their immune system gets weaker, their virus load goes up and a lot of virus spills out in their urine and saliva.

Signs and Symptoms

The primary treatment for human cases is intensive supportive care. Nipah virus infection can be prevented by avoiding exposure to sick pigs and bats in endemic areas and not drinking raw date palm sap.

Prevention

Preventing Nipah virus infection is focused on decreasing bat access to date palm sap and other fresh food products. Keeping bats away from sap collection sites with protective coverings (such as bamboo sap skirts) may be helpful. Freshly collected date palm juice should be boiled and fruits should be thoroughly washed and peeled before consumption. Fruits with puncture marks should be avoided.

Treatment

There are currently no drugs or vaccines specific for Nipah virus infection although this is a priority disease candidate for the WHO’s R&D Blueprint. Intensive supportive care is recommended to treat severe respiratory and neurologic complications.

See Also

• Zoonotic Diseases
• Viral Infections
• Encephalitis
• Respiratory Illnesses

References

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  Nipah virus from an infected VERO cell

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  Nipah virus electron micrograph

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  Pteropus vampyrus, a natural host of Nipah virus

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  Distribution of flying foxes, potential carriers of Nipah virus