What is Nipah virus? Causes, preventive measures, and treatments!

Nipah Virus, or NiV, is a zoonotic pathogen – which means that this is a virus that spreads from animals to humans. The first case was associated with pigs in Malaysia, but it is now known that fruit bats are natural hosts of the virus. The disease has been listed by WHO in the category of 'Blueprint priority' diseases.

How does it spread?: Nipah Virus spreads directly from human to human through close contact, especially through bodily secretions. Eating fruits that have been previous consumed partially by infected bats can also cause the condition, while precooked meats have been cited as another cause/reason.

Signs and symptoms: The symptoms of Nipah Virus can be confusing, as it may resemble to influenza or common cold. Most patients have headaches, fever, vomiting, muscle pain, and sore throat. When the infection progresses, the patient can have severe issues with respiratory functions, which can cause further problems for breathing. In an advanced stage, the infection may impact the tissues of the brain, causing fatal encephalitis. Seizures may also occur in the final state, and the patient may end up in coma in just 48 hours.

Prevention: First and foremost, patients suffering from the infection must be quarantined, and healthy people should avoid contact. Wearing NH95-grade mask is recommended, and hands must be regularly washed with soap. All forms of unpasteurised fruit juices and half-eaten fruits must be avoided. Fresh date palm juice must be boiled before eating, and pork and pig fat must be properly boiled. Maintaining personal hygiene also helps.

Treatment: There’s no available treatment for Nipah Virus, except that patients can get supportive care at an early age, so as to avoid/reduce brain and respiratory-function related symptoms. It is now known that the incubation of this virus is from four to fourteen days.
Check with your doctor if you have fever for more than two days. Get regular health checkup at Polo Labs!