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The Nipah virus is a disease that can be transmitted to humans from animals, as well as through contaminated food or from person-to-person contact. The virus can cause a variety of illnesses in infected people, ranging from no symptoms to severe respiratory illness or fatal encephalitis. Additionally, Nipah virus can cause significant economic damage to farmers by infecting and causing severe disease in animals like pigs.

Although outbreaks of Nipah virus in Asia have been relatively rare, the virus can infect a wide range of animals and is a serious threat to human health.

During the first outbreak in Malaysia and Singapore, people primarily became infected through direct contact with sick pigs or their contaminated tissues. Transmission occurred through exposure to the pigs’ secretions or tissue.

In later outbreaks in Bangladesh and India, it is believed that the consumption of contaminated fruits or fruit products, like raw date palm juice, from infected fruit bats was the primary source of infection.

Additionally, Nipah virus has been known to spread between humans, particularly among family members or caregivers of infected patients.

Symptoms

The Nipah virus can cause a range of illnesses in infected humans, from no symptoms to severe respiratory problems and fatal encephalitis. Initially, infected individuals may experience fever, headaches, myalgia, vomiting, and sore throat, followed by dizziness, drowsiness, altered consciousness, and neurological signs indicating acute encephalitis. In severe cases, individuals may also experience atypical pneumonia and acute respiratory distress, leading to seizures and ultimately coma within 24 to 48 hours.

The incubation period for the virus typically ranges from 4 to 14 days, but in some cases, it can be as long as 45 days.

While most individuals infected with Nipah virus make a full recovery, some may experience residual neurological conditions after suffering from acute encephalitis. Additionally, there have been reported cases of relapse.

The case fatality rate of Nipah virus infection is estimated to be between 40-75%, but this can vary depending on the effectiveness of surveillance and clinical management during outbreaks.