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Nipah Virus: A Hidden Threat in Our Midst

LONDONWednesday, January 28, 2026
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Overview

  • Nature: Rare but dangerous
  • Origin: Typically starts in animals (e.g., fruit bats)
  • Transmission: Can jump to humans
  • Death Rate: High, between 40% to 75%
  • Person-to-Person Spread: Uncommon, leading to smaller, contained outbreaks

Historical Context

  • First Identified: Malaysia, 1999
  • Recent Outbreaks: Primarily in Bangladesh and India
  • Statistics (as of December):
  • Total Cases: 750
  • Deaths: 415

Transmission Routes

  • Animal Contact: Sick pigs or contaminated tissues
  • Fruit Bats: Primary carriers
  • Food Contamination: Consuming fruit or raw date palm juice contaminated with bat urine/saliva
  • Human-to-Human: Rare, mainly through close contact with sick patients

Symptoms

  • Initial Symptoms:
  • Fever
  • Headaches
  • Muscle pain
  • Later Symptoms:
  • Brain inflammation
  • Severe respiratory problems
  • Seizures
  • Recovery: Most survivors fully recover, but some experience long-term neurological issues

Health Impact and Control

  • Regional Concern: Particularly in countries with frequent outbreaks
  • Animal Impact: Can lead to mass culling of farm animals like pigs
  • Global Spread: Unlikely, due to the virus's long incubation period and limited person-to-person transmission
  • Airport Screening: Ineffective due to the virus's long incubation period

Research and Development

  • Current Status: No approved vaccines or treatments
  • Ongoing Research: Several vaccine candidates in development
  • Notable Candidate: Oxford University's vaccine, using COVID-19 vaccine technology, began phase II testing in Bangladesh in December
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