Kerala has been on high alert due to mysterious deaths of eight people because of an unidentified viral attack. Out of these, three were reported to be caused by Nipah virus(NiV). As per the National Institute of Virology, Pune, Virus is the sole cause of these three deaths. Rajiv Sadanandan, Kerala’s health secretary, has assured that the government has started its preparation towards fewer deaths and that people should not panic. An unheard virus, NiV is yet to be understood by many. Here is what the virus is all about. There is no vaccine for either human or animals. The primary treatment for human cases is intensive supportive care.
What is Nipah virus? Nipah virus (NiV) infection is a newly emerging zoonosis (a disease which can be transmitted to humans from animals.)that causes severe disease in both animals and humans. The natural host of the virus is fruit bats of the Pteropodidae Family, Pteropus genus.
NiV was first identified during an outbreak of disease that took place in Kampung Sungai Nipah, Malaysia in 1998. On this occasion, pigs were the intermediate hosts. However, in subsequent NiV outbreaks, there were no intermediate hosts. In Bangladesh in 2004, humans became infected with NiV as a result of consuming date palm sap that had been contaminated by infected fruit bats. Humans who were infected by other humans were reported in Bangladesh and India.
NiV infection in humans has a range of clinical presentations, from asymptomatic infection to the acute respiratory syndrome and fatal encephalitis. NiV is also capable of causing disease in pigs and other domestic animals.
What are the symptoms of Nipah virus?
Some common signs and symptoms of NiV are a headache, fever, nausea, dizziness, drowsiness and mental issues such as confusion. These symptoms can last up to 7-10 days. Watching out for respiratory illness during the early stages is also a must. Nipah Virus is an airborne transmission infection and can affect those who come in direct contact with contaminated bodies. Nipah Virus is usually associated with inflammation of the brain due to which severe days of fever can often lead to a state of confusion, disorientation and even persistent drowsiness. If not taken care of, these symptoms can even cause a coma in a span of 24-48 hours. There are many patients who show neurological, respiratory and pulmonary signs as well. Therefore, do not ignore any such signs.
Prevention: Prevention of Nipah virus infection is important since there is no effective treatment for the disease. The infection can be prevented by avoiding exposure to bats in endemic areas and sick pigs. Drinking of raw palm sap (palm toddy) contaminated by bat excrete, eating of fruits partially consumed by bats and using water from wells infested by bats should be avoided. Bats are known to drink palm toddy that is collected in open containers, and occasionally urinate in it, which makes it contaminated with the virus. Surveillance and awareness are important for preventing future outbreaks.
Following are certain facts about the spread of Nipah Virus:
Infected bats shed virus in their excretion and secretion such as saliva, urine, semen, and excreta but they are symptomless carriers.
– The NiV is highly contagious among pigs, spread by coughing.
– Direct contact with infected pigs was identified as the predominant mode of transmission in humans when it was first recognized in a large outbreak in Malaysia in 1999.
– Drinking of fresh date palm sap, possibly contaminated by fruit bats (P. giganteus) during the winter season, may have been responsible for indirect transmission of Nipah Virus to humans
– There is circumstantial evidence of human-to-human transmission in India in 2001. During the outbreak in Siliguri, 33 health workers and hospital visitors became ill after exposure to patients hospitalized with Nipah Virus illness, suggesting nosocomial infection.
– During the Bangladesh outbreak, the virus is suggested to have been transmitted either directly or indirectly from infected bats to humans.
– Human-to-human transmission of NiV has been reported in recent outbreaks demonstrating a risk of transmission of the virus from infected patients to healthcare workers through contact with infected secretions, excretions, blood or tissues.
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