Nipah virus: what is it, where is it found and how does it spread?

摘要

Educational blog explaining Nipah virus, a serious infectious disease causing periodic outbreaks in Asia, important for travelers to understand despite low overall risk. No UK cases have ever been found.

詳細內容

Nipah virus (NiV) is a serious infectious disease that periodically causes outbreaks in parts of Asia. While the risk to most people remains very low, understanding this virus is important if you are planning to travel to one of the areas where it circulates. No cases have ever been found in the UK.

What is Nipah virus?

Zoonotic virus (transmitted from animals to humans)
Henipavirus family
First identified in 1999 during outbreak in Malaysia and Singapore
High case-fatality rate (40-75% in outbreaks)
No specific treatment or vaccine currently available

Where is it found? Endemic areas:

Bangladesh: Regular outbreaks, particularly in winter months
India: Sporadic outbreaks, mainly in Kerala and West Bengal
Other parts of South and Southeast Asia where fruit bats live

Natural reservoir: Pteropus fruit bats (flying foxes) are the natural hosts, carrying virus without becoming ill.

How does it spread?

Animal-to-human transmission:

Consuming date palm sap contaminated by infected bat urine or saliva
Eating fruit partially eaten or contaminated by infected bats
Direct contact with infected pigs (in early Malaysian outbreak)

Human-to-human transmission:

Close contact with infected person’s bodily fluids
Particularly in healthcare settings without proper infection control
Family members caring for sick relatives at high risk
Transmission through respiratory droplets possible

Symptoms:

Incubation: 4-14 days (can extend to 45 days)
Initial: Fever, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, sore throat
Progression: Dizziness, drowsiness, altered consciousness
Severe: Encephalitis (brain inflammation), seizures, coma
Some infections may be asymptomatic

Prevention for travelers:

Avoid consuming raw date palm sap in endemic areas
Do not eat fruit that may have been contaminated by bats
Avoid contact with sick pigs or bats
Practice good hand hygiene
Avoid close contact with people who are sick
Seek immediate medical care if symptoms develop after potential exposure

Why awareness matters: Although UK risk is very low, awareness is important because:

Returning travelers could import infection
Healthcare workers need to recognize symptoms
Early isolation prevents healthcare transmission
Part of global outbreak preparedness

WHO priority pathogen: Nipah virus is on WHO’s priority list for research and development due to its pandemic potential and lack of medical countermeasures.

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