Nipha Virus Infection

Abstract

Nipha virus (NIV) is a zoonotic virus (it is transmitted from animals to human) and can also be transmitted through contaminated food or between people. In infected people, it causes a range of illness from asymptomatic (subclinical), infection to acute respiratory illness and fetal encephalitis. The virus can also cause serve disease in animals such as pigs, resulting in significant economic losses for farmer. On 20th May, India’s government notified the World Health Organization of a confirmed outbreak of Nipha virus in Kozhikode, a district in Kerala after test sample by the national institute of virology in Pune. By the end of the month 19 cases of the disease had been reported, where 17 of them succumb bed to the deadly virus.
In India, the majority of cases occurred among those in close contact with the first victim, or patient zero, and further transmission of the virus was contained within two weeks due to the swift response of central and state government authorities