Nipah Virus : 14-Year-Old Boy From Kerala Died
A 14-year-old boy from Kerala died after testing positive for the Nipah virus.
- Nipah virus (NiV) is a zoonotic virus (transmitted from animals to humans) and can also be transmitted through contaminated food or directly between people.
- The organism that causes Nipah Virus encephalitis is an RNA or Ribonucleic acid virus of the family Paramyxoviridae, genus Henipavirus, and is closely related to Hendra virus.
- NiV initially appeared in domestic pigs, dogs, cats, goats, horses, and sheep.
- It spreads through fruit bats (genus Pteropus).
- The virus is found in bat urine, faeces, saliva, and birthing fluids.
- The case fatality rate ranges from 40% to 75%.
- Symptoms: Causes encephalitic syndrome in humans, presenting with fever, headache, drowsiness, disorientation, mental confusion, coma, and potentially death.
- Diagnosis: Diagnosis can be established through real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) from bodily fluids and antibody detection via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
- Prevention: No vaccines available for humans or animals.
- WHO has identified Nipah as a priority disease
