Diseases Outbreak 2018 - Understand Nipah Virus Infection an Epidemic Disease With no Cure.

Nipah Virus Infection (NiV) is another zoonotic disease that is transmitted from animal caused by nipah virus. It can also be spread from human to human through direct contact with infected source. It is reported that 50%-75% of people infected by NiV died.

Animals responsible for spreading NiV are fruits bats and they can cause diseases to pigs as well human. The disease was first reported in 1998 in Malaysia. 105 people died and NiV infection was spread to human through infected pigs and in turn 1.1 million pigs were slaughtered.

Research has confirmed that Nipah Virus normally circulates among specific fruit bats. Researchers collected 324 bats from 14 species on peninsular Malaysia. Neutralizing antibodies to Nipah virus were demonstrated in five species, suggesting widespread infection in bat populations in peninsular Malaysia.

It was found that nipah virus has similarities in term of utrastructural with Hendra Virus in which pteropid bats(flying foxes) species which are natural host of hendra virus in Australia.

World Health Organisation reports that Nipah Virus Infection outbreak in 2018 occurred in India, It caused deaths of 17 people from 19 people who were infected from NiV infection as of 17 July 2018.   Only two people recovered completely and they were discharged from the hospital. Acute syndrome and encephalitic were observed among the patients.

Symptoms and Signs of NiV infection.

After bit Introduction lets dive to see how you can identify a person infected by this disease and hence you can take proper measures to minimize the risks.

- In first 5-14 days from the exposure a victim of NiV infection can suffer from headache, fever, drowsiness followed by  disorientation and mental confusion. These symptoms can progress in coma as fast as in 24-48.

Once you observed such signs try to avoid direct contact with infected person and report to any health center for early treatment although WHO has not found effective treatment of the disease but there is a chance of recovering  completely as it was reported in India from two patients who avoided death.

- Respiratory illness can be observed from the person  infected by Nipah Virus.

- Brain painful and damage is potentially fatal complication of Nipah Virus Infection.

Prevention of the disease

Up to this time Nipah virus infection has no effective treatment therefore serious attention should be focused on how to prevent the disease, the common effective ways that can help you to avoid being infected by nipah virus is by doing the followings.

1. Avoid exposure to bats in endemic areas and sicks pigs, as you have seen the research findings which confirmed fruit bats are the main host nipah virus hence it is advised not have exposure with bats in areas which has this endemic disease.
2. Avoid Exposure to the infected pigs - in Malaysia where diseases was reported for the first time in 1998 people got infected through the interaction with infected pigs, therefore in the area which NiV exists try  to stay away from pigs.
3. Avoid drinking raw palm sap (palm toddy) contaminated by bat excrete.
4. Avoid eating fruits partially consumed by bats and using water from well by bats.

Nipah Virus Infection is now listed as new emerging epidemic disease that need global tension and awareness like zika and ebola diseases. This calls for more and more researches to be conducted to find better ways to cure and prevent the disease before it causes serious problems globally.