What is Nipah virus: From symptoms to treatment, all you need to know about rare infection

At least 9 deaths due to rare Nipah virus in Kerala has sparked fear among the residents with the state health department being put on high alert. Union Helth Minister JP Nadda has also directed a top official to visit the affected districts and initiate required steps as warranted by the protocol.

According to a PTI report, the first case was reported on May 5 when a 23-year-old man died due to high fever. Two other members of his family later died on May 18 and 19. Blood and other samples of the deceased were sent to the National Virology Institute, Pune which reportedly confirmed the presence of the virus. 

ANI reported that the 2 of the 9 deaths after high fever have been confirmed to be due to Nipah virus. Report on other samples is awaited, it said. Rare Nipah virus sparks fear in Kerala

Here is all you need to know about the rare and deadly Nipah virus: 

Nipah virus (NiV) infection is a newly emerging zoonosis that affects both humans and animals alike.  Nipah virus has a high fatality rate and spreads mainly through bats, pigs and other animals. The natural hosts of the virus are fruit bats of the Pteropodidae Family, Pteropus genus. NiV was first identified during an outbreak in Kampung Sungai Nipah, Malaysia in 1998. The virus gets its name from the place where it was first identified.

According to According to US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 265 patients were infected with the virus during the Nipah virus disease outbreak in 1998-99. About 40% of those patients who entered hospitals with the serious nervous disease died from the illness, it says. 

In humans, NiV causes asymptomatic infection, acute respiratory syndrome and fatal encephalitis. 

Symptoms

According to CDC, the symptoms of NiV infection are visible after exposure and an incubation period of 5 to 14 days. The virus causes 3-14 days of fever and headache, followed by drowsiness, disorientation and mental confusion.

These signs and symptoms can progress to coma within 24-48 hours. 

Some patients have a respiratory illness during the early part of their infections, and half of the patients showing severe neurological signs showed also pulmonary signs, CDC says. 

Diagnosis

Virus isolation attempts and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) from throat and nasal swabs, cerebrospinal fluid, urine, and blood should be performed in the early stages of the disease. Antibody detection by ELISA (IgG and IgM) can be used later on. 

Treatment

The primary treatment for human cases is intensive supportive care. Standard infection control practices and proper barrier nursing techniques are important in preventing infections as Nipah virus encephalitis can be transmitted person-to-person.

The drug ribavirin has been shown to be effective against the viruses in vitro, but human investigations to date have been inconclusive and the clinical usefulness of ribavirin remains uncertain, according to CDC.