Nipah virus writing report
Answers
What is Nipah virus and why should we be concerned about the Nipah virus outbreak?
Nipah virus was first detected during a major infectious disease outbreak in Malaysia in 1998-9 and the virus was named after the Sungai Nipah village on the banks of Nipah River in Malaysia.
Nipah virus belongs to a genus of paramyxoviruses (Henipavirus), including the highly pathogenic Hendra virus found in Australia that can cause acute respiratory distress and encephalitis with mortality rates in excess of 70%.
Since its first detection in Malaysia, a closely related Nipah virus has emerged in Bangladesh/India region since 2001. The Nipah Bangladesh strain (Nipah virus-BD) is approximately 91% identical in genome sequence to the Nipah Malaysia strain (Nipah virus-MY).
In 2015, there was a Nipah virus outbreak in the Philippines which affected 17 individual with a case mortality reaching 80% for those developing neurological symptoms. Preliminary serological and molecular data indicated it was caused by the Nipah virus-MY strain or a closely related virus.
Pteropus bats (fruit eating bats) are likely the main animal reservoir for Nipah virus, although there is evidence suggesting that other bat species are also susceptible to Nipah virus infection in nature. Various bat species ranging from Australia to West Africa can carry viruses genetically closely related to henipaviruses.
Studies from the known human infection outbreaks in Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, Bangladesh, India, and the Philippines, show that the virus can be transmitted to human by three different routes: 1) from bats to humans who come in contact with virus-contaminated material (e.g., date palm sap); 2) from intermediate hosts such as pigs and horses; and 3) from infected humans.
There is also epidemiological evidence that companion animals (including dogs and cats) can be infected with these viruses and they can in theory transmit viruses to humans as well.
Answer:
Nipah virus, scientific name Nipah henipavirus, is a bat-borne virus that causes Nipah virus infection in humans and other animals, a disease with a high mortality rate. Numerous disease outbreaks caused by Nipah virus have occurred in South and Southeast Asia.