The World Health Organization writes on its website that the Nipah virus (NiV) is a zoonotic virus. By this, it means that it’s a virus capable of direct transmission either person-to-person, through contaminated food, or from animal to human. (What is the Nipah Virus, and How Has it Spread?)
Origins from Fruit Bats:-
Basically, the virus spreads through fruit bats, which are pathogenic carriers. It is then passed to humans through the accidental consumption of fruit that has been contaminated by bats.
Most human infections occurred as a result of direct contact with sick pigs or their contaminated tissues when the initial outbreak was discovered in Malaysia and Singapore. Transmission is recalled to have occurred through unprotected exposure to discharges from the pigs, or unprotected contact with the tissue of a killed animal,” the WHO said.
Spread in Bangladesh and India
Later outbreaks in Bangladesh and India were likely due to consumption of fruits or fruit products that got contaminated with the urine or saliva of infected fruit bats.
Other cases also show that the Nipah virus has been transmitted from the infected patient’s family members and caregivers to other individuals. On further outbreaks in Bangladesh and India, the WHO stated that “Nipah virus spread directly from human-to-human through close contact with people’s secretions and excretions”.
Nipah Virus: What are the symptoms?
Those infected with the Nipah virus suffer from a wide range of illnesses—from asymptomatic (subclinical) infection to intense respiratory illness and fatal encephalitis. It is a threat to public health because it has the potential to cause severe illness and death.
The WHO adds that initially when one becomes infected, the symptoms are fever, headaches, myalgia, vomiting, and a sore throat. This could be followed by neurological symptoms of acute encephalitis, such as dizziness, somnolence, and altered consciousness.
Some may also experience atypical pneumonia and serious respiratory complications like acute respiratory distress. Severe cases result in encephalitis and seizures, followed by coma in 24-48 hours.
What is the severity of this disease?
The incubation period—the time from infection to the emergence of symptoms—according to WHO, ranges from four to fourteen days, but has been taken to as long as 45 days.
Most people surviving acute encephalitis make a full recovery, but long-term neurologic conditions have been reported in survivors.
“Residual neurological effects such as seizure disorder and personality changes persist in about 20% of the patients.” The WHO wrote, “a small number of people who recover later relapse or develop delayed onset encephalitis.”
At the same time, it is projected that the case fatality rate is as high as 40% to 75%. In this regard, the World Health Organization reports that the rate may differ between outbreaks depending on the local capabilities for clinical management and epidemiological surveillance.
The result of severe disease in animals such as pigs triggered by the virus can lead to a massive financial loss for farmers.
Virus Nipah: Identification and challenges
The main tests used in diagnosing Nipah infection infection are continuous polymerase chain reaction from natural fluids and antibody detection through immunoglobulin connected ELISA.
Other tests used in the diagnosis of Nipah virus infection include Polymerase chain reaction assay and isolation of the virus through cell culture.
The laboratory diagnosis may be affected by the quality, quantity, type and timing of the clinical sample collection and transfer time to the laboratory.
Treatment and Prevention:-
Treatment for the Nipah Virus Despite the fact that the World Health Organization has classified the Nipah virus as a disease of particular importance for the purpose of the WHO Research and Development Blueprint, there are no medications or vaccines made particularly for the infection. Supportive care and syndromic management of the acute encephalitis syndrome comprise most of the treatment options.
Therefore, increasing the people’s level of awareness of the risk factors is the only way to reduce or prevent infection in the absence of a vaccine. The Nipah virus can be reduced through several preventative measures, and these need to be educated to the public.
Virus Nipah: The WHO says that the following should be the emphasis of public health messages to lower people’s risk of infection:
1: reducing the access available to bats for sap from date palms and other fresh food items.
2. During laboratory procedures involving sick animals or their tissues, and during slaughtering/culling procedures protective gloves and other clothing should be worn.
3. Close unprotected physical contact with individuals infected with the Nipah virus should be avoided. They must frequently wash their hands after visiting or taking care of sick people.
4. Healthcare workers managing patients where infection is suspected or confirmed, or their specimens, should follow Standard Precautions at all times.