What is Nipah Virus? Symptoms, treatment and everything else you need to know

Along with the surge in COVID-19 cases, Kerala is currently batting with another virus i.e Nipah virus after a 12-year-old boy died on Sunday in the district of Kozhikode in a private hospital. Since then, several cases of the infection have been surfacing in the state. The first Nipah virus disease outbreak in South India was reported from Kozhikode district in Kerala on May 19, 2018. There have been 17 deaths and 18 confirmed cases as of June 1, 2018. The outbreak was contained and declared over by June 10, 2018. Thereafter, in June 2019, a new case of Nipah was reported from Kochi and the sole patient was a 23-year-old student, who later recovered.  With this year's reporting of a case, it is the fifth time the virus has been detected in India and the third in Kerala.

Here's everything you need to know about the Nipah virus.

What is Nipah virus?

The Nipah virus is a zoonotic infection that transmits between species, from animals to humans or vice versa. It can also be transmitted through contaminated food or directly between people. The virus was isolated and identified in 1999 and is named after a village in Malaysia, Sungai Nipah.

Signs and symptoms

In humans, Nipah virus has various infections ranging from asymptomatic infection to acute respiratory infection (mild, severe), and fatal encephalitis.

Initial symptoms include fever, headaches, myalgia (muscle pain), vomiting and sore throat. This can be followed by dizziness, drowsiness, altered consciousness, and neurological signs that indicate acute encephalitis. Some people can also experience severe respiratory problems. 

According to the guidelines of the WHO, the patients infected with the virus can experience pneumonia and severe cases might see encephalitis and seizures which may lead to come within 24 to 48 hours. The incubation period for this virus can range between 5-14 days and go on up to 45 days.

Incubation period

As per WHO, the incubation period (interval from infection to the onset of symptoms) is believed to range from 4 to 14 days. However, an incubation period as long as 45 days has been reported.

Diagnosis

Nipah virus infection can be diagnosed with clinical history during the acute and convalescent phases of the disease. The main tests used are real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) from bodily fluids and antibody detection via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). 

Other tests used include polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay, and virus isolation by cell culture.

Prevention 

Avoid consuming raw date palm sap or toddy

Handling of dead bodies of those who suffered from the virus needs to be done according to the guidelines.

Consume fruits after washing them properly

Wash your hands regularly with soap and water

Wear clinical gloves and other protective clothing while handling sick animals 

Treatment

There are currently no drugs or vaccines specific for Nipah virus infection.

-with WHO inputs