What you need to know about the Nipah virus

Kerala, India's southern state, is grappling with the Nipah virus outbreak, causing closures of schools and offices, and hundreds of residents being tested.
 

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Nipah virus infection, a zoonotic illness, is transmitted from animals to humans, with a high fatality rate of 50 to 70 percent, affecting three to four out of five infected individuals.

Filipino infectious disease expert Rontgene Solante emphasized the need for vigilant action against the Nipah virus, despite no recorded cases in the Philippines.

What is Nipah virus?

WHO has identified direct contact with sick pigs or contaminated tissues as the primary cause of human infections.

It also identified unsafe contact with pig secretion and tissue as transmission methods.

In Bangladesh and India, outbreaks occurred due to consumption of fruits and raw date palm juice contaminated with urine or saliva of infected fruit bats.
 

Deadly

Solante explained that the illnesses caused by the virus range from asymptomatic (subclinical) infection to acute respiratory illness and fatal encephalitis.

The virus is also considered "fatal" and "deadly."

"It will really be fatal because of its ability to infect the brain or encephalitis. Encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain," Solante said in a mix of English and Filipino in a television interview on Sunday, Sept. 22.

He said it can also cause a "multi-organ" infection.

"When you have an infection that causes inflammation of the brain, it will also affect other functions of other organs particularly the heart and the lungs," he added.
 

Transmission

Solante said the most common mode of transmission to humans is direct contact with bats.

"Handling these bats, the fluid, the body fluid, anything that is coming from that bat then you're not washing your hands, that is when it (the virus) can enter the mouth, eyes, and even in the areas with wounds," he explained.

Another method of virus transmission is through person-to-person direct contact or exposure.

"When the body fluids of those who are infected are exposed to the person handling that infected individual without the gloves, without washing their hands, and then touching their face and touching their mouth," he said.

Symptoms

According to Solante, the symptoms of an infected human being include fever because the Nipah virus is a "systemic" type of virus.

He said the virus also causes body pain and severe headaches due to its direct impact on the human brain.

After two to three days, the infected individual may feel weak and unable to recognize themselves, he added.

"Hindi na makakakilala, and 'yung sensorium niya hindi na siya palaging gising. Natutulog hanggang tulog nalang sya nang tulog (The person could not recognize and the sensorium, he is not always awake. Sleeping until he just continuously sleeps," he said.

Solante explained that the infected individual's respiratory system will eventually fail, affecting their cardiovascular system until they die in sleep, unlike COVID-19 symptoms, which include coughing and other respiratory issues.

He said that while no Nipah virus cases have been reported, the country must remain vigilant against the virus.

He emphasized that tropical countries like the Philippines could be affected by the virus, and that there is no treatment or antiviral drug to save lives from the virus, contributing to its high mortality rate.

 Additionally, no vaccine is yet available, Solante pointed out. (Lizst Torres Abello)