Recently in the Kerala province of India, there has been reporting of Nipah Virus Infection, with one confirmed and many suspected. The disease has claimed hundreds of lives till now. Keeping the news segment aside, in this article we will try to understand the disease, its symptoms and treatment, and how one can protect oneself from contracting this dreaded condition.
The Nipah Virus – A brief history
Nipah Virus is a zoonotic virus, which means it causes infection primarily in the animals, but sometimes it can hop into the humans and cause infection in them if humans come in close contact with the infected animals. It was discovered in Malaysia in 1999 at a place called Sungai Nipah where the first outbreak occurred in a pig farm, and hence the name. Since 1999, outbreaks of Nipah Virus Infection has occurred in multiple pockets of South and Southeast Asia over time, and the recent one may occur in Kerala in India where a boy was found to be infected in early September of 2021 and had multiple contacts and has raised the concern of more potential cases to appear.
How one gets Nipah Virus Infection – The Transmission.
Nipah Virus is mainly hoarded by bats (the reservoir hosts), who usually transmit them to pigs, and then from pigs, it can infect humans coming in close contact with them. So, the transmission of the Nipah Virus to man occurs where man, pigs, and infected bats come nearby.
Also, it has been hypothesized that infection might occur through consuming virus-contaminated food. Some studies stated that Nipah Virus can survive up to 3 days in some fruit juices and mango fruit and up to 7 days in artificial date palms!
Once a human contracts the infection he can transmit the infection to others via droplets, like sneezing or coughing, in a similar fashion coronavirus spreads.
Nipah Virus Infection – Symptoms and Signs to Look Out For
Usually, two organ systems are the major target of this virus – the lungs, causing influenza-like symptoms, and the brain, which can cause the dreaded encephalitis. In general, the symptoms occurs 4-14 days after exposure and includes
- Fever
- Headache
- Body-ache
- Sore Throat
- Vomiting
- Due to Lung Involvement (Symptoms of Pneumonia)
- Cough
- Breathing Difficulty
- Due to Brain Involvement (Symptoms of Encephalitis)
- Altered Behavior
- Stiff Neck
- Drowsiness
- Seizures
- Coma
Nipah Virus Tests – For Diagnosis
Certain tests are there that can detect Nipah Virus Infection. This Includes:
- RT-PCR: The sample for this could be throat or nasal swabs, blood, urine or cerebrospinal fluids
- ELISA test (on in later part of the disease it can detect)
Treatment for Nipah Virus Infection
As of now, no medicine is available for curing Nipah Virus Infection. Treatment is mainly symptomatic, which means medicines are given to deal with the different symptoms and no targeted therapy is available to eliminate the virus as of now.
Protecting oneself from Nipah Virus Infection – The Prevention
As there is no cure or vaccine for this disease, and also the disease being a fatal one, the best policy will be to avoid contracting the disease. Following strategies can be adopted if you hear about Nipah Virus Outbreak or the virus is endemic in your locality:
- Regular Handwashing with Soap and Water
- Avoid Coming in contact with sick bats or pigs
- Avoid Visiting places where bats roosts
- Avoid eating raw date palms or fruits that could have been contaminated by bats
- Avoid visiting sick patients suffering from the infection or even suspected to have the infection
- Wear a Mask
Nipah Virus Infection is fatal, and prevention is the main strategy as no medicine is available for cure. As I have mentioned few ways for prevention, always follow them in addition to guidelines provided by your local health authorities to stay safe.
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