– Nipah virus (NiV) discovered in 1999 – Outbreak in Malaysia and Singapore – Nearly 300 human cases, 100+ death – Over 1 million pigs culled to control the outbreak
– No known outbreaks in Malaysia and Singapore since 1999 – Annual outbreaks in parts of Asia, primarily Bangladesh and India – Concerns about global pandemic potential
– NiV belongs to Paramyxoviridae family, genus Henipaviru – Zoonotic virus – spreads between animals and people – Fruit bats (flying foxes) identified as the animal host reservoir
– Fruit bats (genus Pteropus) carry NiV – Genetic relation to Hendra viru – Investigation identified flying foxes as the reservoir
– Infected fruit bats can transmit the virus to humans or animals like pig – Spillover event – initial spread from an animal to a person – Person-to-person transmission possible
– Symptoms range from mild to severe – Death in 40%–70% of documented cases (1998-2018 outbreaks) – Highlighting the importance of prevention and research