Nipah Virus

About Nipah Virus

Nipah virus (NiV) is a zoonotic virus that can be transmitted to humans from animals (such as bats or pigs) and can also be transmitted through contaminated food or directly between people.
Fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family are the natural host of Nipah virus.
Nipah virus was first recognized in 1999 during an outbreak among pig farmers in Malaysia.

Symptoms of Nipah virus Infection

Human infections range from asymptomatic infection to acute respiratory infection (mild, severe), and fatal encephalitis (inflammation in the brain).
The case fatality rate is estimated at 40% to 75%. This rate can vary by outbreak depending on local capabilities for epidemiological surveillance and clinical management.

Treatment

There are currently no drugs or vaccines specific for Nipah virus infection although WHO has identified Nipah as a priority disease for the WHO Research and Development Blueprint.
- WHO Research and Development Blueprint aims to improve coordination between scientists and global health professionals, accelerate the research and development process, and develop new norms and standards to learn from and improve upon the global response.
Intensive supportive care is recommended to treat severe respiratory and neurologic complications.

Why in News?

Scientists at the Institute of Advanced Virology (IAV) at Thonnakkal here have developed a novel way of generating non-infectious Nipah virus-like particles (VLPs) in the laboratory for developing neutralizing antibodies against the Nipah Virus.
- Virus-Like Particles (VLPs) are molecules that closely resemble viruses, but are non-infectious making them safe for use.
- As they are very similar to real viral molecules, introducing a VLP into the body will trigger an immune response, but a person will not experience any symptoms of the virus they are being vaccinated against.
- Once the body has had an immune response to the VLP, it will recognize the actual virus and prevent infection in the future, giving people immunity to that particular virus.

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