Deadly Nipah Virus Confirmed in India—What You Need to Know
Health officials on the ground in India are understandably concerned about the discovery of a deadly virus. Read on for all of the details of the Nipah virus, including the symptoms, transmission modes, and prevalence.
Symptoms and Transmission of the Nipah Virus
The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed two cases of the rare Nipah virus in an eastern Indian state on Thursday. The virus kills over half of the people it infects. The name of the virus comes from the village in Malaysia where it infected its first known patient.
The Nipah virus is part of the same family of viruses that causes measles. While Nipah is not as infectious as measles, it is far more deadly. This zoonotic virus can be transmitted to humans from animals. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the virus is most commonly spread to humans through direct contact with an infected fruit bat or pig.
Humans eating fruits or fruit products contaminated with urine or saliva from infected fruit bats can also spread the disease. While human-to-human transmission is possible, this spread generally only happens through extremely close contact with the infected person.
WHO says that it can take four to 14 days for symptoms to present after the point of infection. Most infected individuals develop symptoms. The first signs of infection include non-specific symptoms that mimic the flu, such as fever, muscle pain, headaches, vomiting, and sore throat. Some people go on to develop respiratory symptoms, including coughing and abnormal chest X-rays.
The Nipah virus rapidly progresses in about two-thirds of the patients. Many patients end up in a coma within five to seven days of infection.
The majority of those infected with the virus demonstrate changes in the fluid surrounding the brain. This is a common symptom of other types of viral brain infections. The changes in the tissue around the brain predict the severity of the illness as it progresses. Severe cases of the disease can result in permanent brain damage even if the patient survives. Survivors also often have to deal with chronic fatigue and long-term changes to their nervous system.
The CDC has classified the Nipah virus as a biosafety level four concern. As the highest category on the scale, a level four is reserved for dangerous pathogens such as Ebola. This category is also used to designate concerns that may be used as an agent for bioterrorism.
Although outbreaks of the Nipah virus have been rare, the disease is considered to be a major public health threat due to its high case fatality rate and the potential for human-to-human spread. A lack of approved treatments or preventative vaccines also makes the virus a greater concern for triggering widespread outbreaks.
Diagnosis and Treatment Details
Nipah virus is diagnosed through blood samples that detect specific proteins. There is no vaccine to prevent the Nipah virus, nor are there any drugs available to treat the disease. Instead, health care providers have to lean on supportive care for patients, treating the side effects of the virus.
There is some evidence that the drug ribavirin could treat some of the symptoms. This drug is most commonly used to treat chronic hepatitis C.
The one sliver of good news is that doctors have found success in focusing on preventing the spread of the virus by reducing the threat of animal-to-human transmission. Health care professionals have also found success in reducing the threat of infection when working with patients who test positive for the virus.
Nipah outbreaks happen almost annually throughout many areas of Asia. The greatest number of infections happens in India, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Singapore, and the Philippines. Bangladesh has seen the highest number of infections over time, as fruit bats are most common in this part of the world. The virus has also been documented in bats from Ghana, Thailand, Madagascar, Cambodia, and China.
The Nipah virus typically spreads between December and May, coinciding with the bat breeding season. The timing of the date palm sap harvesting season during this time of the year amplifies the risks.
Despite the concerns currently on the ground in India, it is important to remember that this virus is still exceedingly rare. An estimated 750 cases have been reported globally as of 2024; however, this number is likely underreported to some degree.
The Nipah virus has never been confirmed in the U.S.
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