The Nipah virus has been making news in India again. Recently, when Kerala was grappling with corona, the Nipah virus started gripping the virus spread. A daily report of the Nipah virus and Corona fatalities are making things much more worrisome.
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What is the Nipah Virus?
The scientific name of the Nipah virus is Nipah Henipavirus. This virus is bat-borne, which causes infection in humans and other animals/ This virus has a high mortality rate. The Nipah virus outbreak has been in Malaysia, Singapore, Bangladesh, and India.
Post-1999, Malaysia, and Singapore did not see an outbreak of the Nipah virus. Mainly, India and Bangladesh saw the outbreak of the virus. The virus was spread from person to person during these outbreaks.
The Nipah Virus outbreak was in winter in Bangladesh, which is considered the main reason for the highest mortality rate. Nipah virus is a single and negative sense virus.
It is a single-stranded RNA with over 18 kb. The shape of an enveloped virus is different. The G glycoprotein coagulates as a tetramer.
This tetramer forms an anti-receptor which, in turn, binds with the host cell. The main receptors of the Nipah virus are Ephrins B2 and B3. Back in 1999, the Nipah virus was introduced. The outbreak was in pigs and people in Malaysia and Singapore.
Nipah Virus or NiV is a family member of the Paramyxviridae genus Henipavirus. This virus spreads in animals and people and is hence known as a zoonotic virus.
The fruit bat or genus Pteropus of a flying fox is the animal host reservoir of this virus. NiP virus is genetically related to the Hendra virus. Hendra virus has also arrived from the bat. The infected fruit bats can directly spread the virus to people or other animals.
People can be infected by other animals who have been infected with NIV if they come in close contact with animals or their body fluids. The spread from animal to people is called spillover, and once it is in people, it can spread from person to person.
First Nipah Virus Outbreak in the World
The first Nipah virus infection was found in 1998. During that time, neurological and respiratory diseases were found in pig farms in Malaysia. The spread of disease is due to the overlap between bats and piggeries in peninsular Malaysia.
The virus slowly spread in Singapore, causing infections in pigs and some deaths too. The name Nipah is derived from the place known as Sungai Nipah in Port Dickson Nigeria Sembilan.
This was the place from where the first human case was found and first isolated. Nipah virus was one of the viruses that WHO had warned of the epidemic outbreak. In humans, the symptoms were primarily encephalitic, and in pigs were respiratory. Later, the outbreaks caused respiratory infections in humans, which increased the person-to-person spread of the virus.
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Nipah Virus Symptoms and Signs
The infection level of Nipah Virus or NIV can be from mild to severe. The virus can cause swelling of the brain, which may eventually lead to death.
In the initial 4 to 14 days of exposure, the symptoms can be noticed. The initial days of infections may cause fever and headaches. The other signs of respiratory illness such as cough, difficulty in breathing, and sore throat can also be seen.
Post all these symptoms, brain swelling can also be seen in some patients, increasing multiple folds in 24 – 48 hours. The symptoms of this phase can be drowsiness, mental confusion, and disorientation. Almost 40 – 75% of cases have seen deaths.
Some of the survivors have shown long-term side effects such as personality change or persistent convulsions. These infections have shown symptoms and deaths much after long, probably after months or years of exposure.
Nipah Virus Transmission: How Does Nipah Virus Spread from Person to Person
The first way of transmission is from infected bats to animals or people. The second way of transmission is if people were coming in contact with the body fluid of infected animals or animals themselves.
Another way of transmission is if people have consumed food contaminated by bats or other infected animals. And lastly, the spread could be by coming in contact with an infected person.
It is presumed that in the first-ever outbreak, people were infected due to close contact with infected pigs. If the strains were to be traced, the outbreak appeared to have been initially transmitted from bats to pigs.
During the first outbreak person to person, the spread was not reported. The infected people got the virus from infected pigs.
Person-to-person spread was reported in India and Bangladesh. The spread started majorly from caregivers to NIV patients and in healthcare centers.
Diagnosis of Nipah Virus
NiV can be detected during the illness or even after recovery. A different test is used to detect NIV infection. During the early stages of infection, RT-PCR can be carried out to detect illness.
RT–PCR is a real-time polymerase chain reaction that is done on the swab taken from the nose and throat. Apart from these swabs, cerebrospinal fluid, blood, and urine samples are also tested.
Once the patient is on the path to recovery, an antibody test is done based on an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or ELISA. The early symptoms can be very non-specific, and thus the diagnosis can be misleading.
However, early diagnosis and detection are important to treat the patient in time and improve his chances of survival.
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Treatment of Nipah Virus
As such, NIV has no licensed treatment available. The treatment is restricted to supportive care. The supportive care includes hydration, rest, and treatment of symptoms.
Some immunotherapeutic treatments are under research and development. Monoclonal antibody m102.4 has finished the Phase 1 clinical trials. It is being used on a compassionate basis.
Remdesivir is effective for nonhuman primates and can be complementary to immunotherapeutic treatments. In Malaysia, Ribavirus was used in the initial phase for some people.
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Prevention of Nipah Virus
The spread of the virus can be avoided by frequent washing of hands, avoiding contact with bats, consuming raw date palm sap, avoiding fruits contaminated by bats, and avoiding contact with blood or body fluids of NIV-infected patients.
Various community measures have been taken to keep the spread and new outbreaks under control.
Maintaining basic hygiene and cleanliness can reduce the chances of contamination and infection of the virus.
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Evolution and Classification of Nipah Virus
The virus is traced back to 1947. This virus has two different clades. One clad was originated in 1995, while the other clad was originated in 1985. The mutation of the virus has taken place at an estimated rate of 6.5 x 10−4 substitution/site/year.
This mutation rate is very similar to other RNA viruses. In 1998, the first outbreak of the Nipah virus occurred in peninsular Malaysia. In mid-1999, many were infected.
In 2003, the next outbreak occurred, followed in 2004 and then in 2005. Recently, an outbreak occurred in 2019, and now in 2021 amidst the pandemic of the corona.
We hope all humans have good immunity to fight the RNA series virus.
Nipah Virus: FAQ
What is nipah virus
The scientific name of the Nipah virus is Nipah Henipavirus. This virus is bat-borne, which causes infection in humans and other animals/ This virus has a high mortality rate.
How does the Nipah virus spread from person to person
The first way of transmission is from infected bats to animals or people. The second way of transmission is if people were coming in contact with the body fluid of infected animals or animals themselves. Another way of transmission is if people have consumed food contaminated by bats or other infected animals. And lastly, the spread could be by coming in contact with an infected person.
What does the nipah virus cause
The first Nipah virus infection was found in 1998. During that time, neurological and respiratory diseases were found in pig farms in Malaysia. The spread of disease is due to the overlap between bats and piggeries in peninsular Malaysia.
Can the Nipah virus be cured?
The treatment is restricted to supportive care. The supportive care includes hydration, rest, and treatment of symptoms. Some immunotherapeutic treatments are under research and development.
How did Nipah virus start in Kerala
The outbreak of the Nipah virus was traced to the fruit bats in the area. The outbreak was localized in Kozhikode and Malappuram districts of Kerala
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