The virulent Nipah Virus
God’s
Own Country Kerala is in the news again with Nipah virus (NiV) deaths. This is
not the first time the state has encountered the virus, and in 2018, incidences
of NiV were reported. Malaysia reported the first cases in 1999 and Bangladesh
in 2001. The name has emerged from a village in Malaysia. In India, cases
occurred in 2001 and 2007 in West Bengal. The outbreaks in India and Bangladesh
were associated with consuming raw palm sap that fruit bats contaminated. Due
to its severity, the virus has created havoc and anxiety among the healthcare
fraternity and general public.
What is the Nipah virus?
A
zoonotic disease that spreads through domesticated animals’ body fluids. Direct
contact with animal droppings, blood, urine, saliva, etc., helps the virus to
spread to humans. In Kerala, the virus is spreading through fruit bats of the
Pteropodidae family. Though it doesn’t spread as fast as the COVID-19 virus,
NiV is said to be far deadlier than COVID-19, leading to deaths. The virus
symptoms include headache, vomiting, breathing difficulties, cough and sore
throat, diarrhea, etc. The disease is associated with encephalitis in the
brain, and the more severe form can even lead to death. The symptoms appear
within five to 14 days post-exposure to the virus. According to the CDC, the
virus can lead to 40 to 75 percent of deaths.
Treatment
Diagnosis
of Nipah virus is done by ELISA test and can also be diagnosed by a test known
as PCR or viral cultures. With no specific treatment or vaccine available,
timely specific monitoring by healthcare professionals is the need of the hour.
Effective mechanisms should be in place for timely collection of blood samples,
transporting them, and coming out with the report on time so that proper care
can be taken of the infected. Current treatment modalities include the ready
availability of monoclonal antibodies.
Precautions
Thorough
cleaning of fruits and vegetables before consuming, washing hands, and not
venturing into bat-infested areas can be some of the preventive measures from
NiV. Using hand gloves and protective gear while attending to infected patients
can also be taken into account.
The consequence
NiV-infected people who
have survived have been reported to encounter long-term neurologic conditions
with seizure disorder and personality changes. Raising awareness is the need of
the hour. Culling of the infected animals is needed; however, one should keep
in mind that there may be a better solution than culling the entire population
of the fruit bat, in the case of Kerala, as it may lead to ecological
imbalance.
