What is Nipah virus? Symptoms to watch out for as India races to contain deadly outbreak

India moves quickly to contain Nipah virus epidemic After five cases were confirmed in the eastern state of West Bengal, including doctors and nurses who were infected.

Approximately 100 people were asked to quarantine at home, and infected patients were treated in hospitals in and around the capital. KolkataAccording to local media reports, one patient is in critical condition.

Nipah fatal virus with no Vaccine or treat and is considered a high-risk pathogen. World Health Organization. Experts say human infections It is rare and usually occurs when the virus spreads from bats, often through contaminated fruit.

Here’s everything you need to know about this virus:

Nipah virus (NiV) infection: What are the symptoms?

Nipah virus (NiV) infection often begins in a non-specific manner symptomsmakes early detection difficult.

The incubation period is generally believed to be between four and 21 days, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), although longer delays between exposure and illness have been reported in rare cases in previous years. epidemics.

Patients typically develop a flu-like illness characterized by fever, headache, muscle pain, and fatigue. In some cases, respiratory symptoms such as cough, shortness of breath, or pneumonia may also occur, but the timing and severity of these symptoms can vary greatly.

The most serious and definitive complication of Nipah infection is inflammation of the brain known as encephalitis. Neurological symptoms such as confusion, altered consciousness, seizures, or coma usually appear several days to weeks after the initial onset of the illness.

Some patients may also develop meningitis.

How deadly is Nipah virus?

Nipah virus is associated with a high mortality rate; Fatality rates are reported between 40 and 75 percent, depending on the outbreak and the viral strain involved.

Survivors may experience long-term neurological effects, such as persistent seizures or personality changes, according to an update from the UK Health Safety Agency.

In rare cases, encephalitis has been reported to recur months or even years after the initial infection, due to relapse or reactivation of the virus.

How does Nipah virus spread?

Nipah virus is a zoonotic pathogen that can be transmitted from animals to humans and from human to human, according to the World Health Organization.

The primary natural carriers are fruit bats (Pteropus species); Humans can become infected through direct contact with infected bats or other animals or by consuming food contaminated with bat saliva, urine, or feces.

Human-to-human transmission has also been reported, particularly through close contact with the body fluids of an infected person.

Where was Nipah virus first found?

Nipah virus (NiV) was first identified in Malaysia and Singapore in 1999 following an outbreak of encephalitis and respiratory disease among pig farmers and others in close contact with infected pigs. This event led to the recognition of NiV as a serious zoonotic pathogen that can pass from animals to humans.

Repeated outbreaks have since been recorded in South Asia. Parts of northeastern India and several parts of Bangladesh have reported cases; There have been epidemics in Bangladesh almost every year since 2001.

In southern India, the state of Kerala reported its first Nipah outbreak in 2018, followed by sporadic cases in subsequent years.

Beyond South Asia, infections have also been reported in the Philippines, and studies suggest they are caused by Nipah virus or a closely related Nipah-like strain.

Scientific studies have identified fruit bats as the natural reservoir of the virus. Nipah virus was isolated from bat urine in Malaysia, and antibodies have been detected in at least 23 bat species across Asia and parts of Africa, including Ghana and Madagascar.

Despite this large animal reservoir, the World Health Organization says confirmed human outbreaks have so far been limited to South and Southeast Asia and generally occur in rural or semi-rural settings where contact between humans, bats and domestic animals is more likely.

According to the World Health Organization, “Human-to-human transmission of Nipah virus has also been reported among family and caregivers of infected patients.”

Are there any treatments?

There is currently no proven, targeted treatment for Nipah virus (NiV) infection and no approved vaccine to prevent it.

Care for patients remains largely supportive and focuses on managing symptoms and complications as they arise.

The virus is listed by WHO as a priority pathogen under its Research and Development Plan, which identifies epidemic threats that require urgent investigation.

Reducing the Risk of Nipah Infection:

Global health organizations suggest that since there is no vaccine yet, preventing Nipah virus infection depends on awareness and simple preventive measures. Public health recommendations focus on reducing contact with the virus from bats, animals or infected people.

Preventing transmission from bats to humans: Bats are the main carriers of Nipah. WHO guidelines recommend that people should avoid consuming raw date palm sap or fruit that may be contaminated by bats.

Boiling fresh date juice and thoroughly washing or peeling the fruit can reduce the risk. The health agency recommends that fruit showing signs of bat bites should be thrown away.

Preventing animal-to-human transmission: Those who handle sick animals, their tissues, or work during slaughter should wear gloves and protective clothing. Contact with infected pigs should be minimized, and pig farms in areas where fruit bats are found should take steps to protect feed and enclosures from bats.

Preventing human-to-human transmission: Avoid close and unprotected contact with people infected with Nipah. Regular hand washing after caring for or visiting sick individuals is crucial to stopping the spread of the virus.

Nipah virus in popular culture:

2011 movie InfectionDepicting a rapidly spreading global virus, it was partially inspired by real-life pathogens such as Nipah virus, a bat-borne virus first identified in Malaysia in 1999, according to the website of global health nonprofit Path.

Nipah causes serious respiratory disease and inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) and can spread from animals to humans, contaminated food, or infected people.

Its high mortality rate, epidemic potential, and lack of vaccine have made it a model of how a zoonotic virus can trigger a pandemic; filmmakers also used it to frame realistic global crisis. Infection, The path is noted.