China
Africa
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Nipah encephalitis, a fatal encephalitis with bats as reservoir
Published in Avindra Nath, Joseph R. Berger, Clinical Neurovirology, 2020
Of the 94 patients with symptomatic Nipah virus infection seen in the University of Malaya Medical Centre during the Malaysian outbreak, more than half of the patients had affected family members suggesting a disease of high infection rate [20]. In a study of 14 households with 110 members in the outbreak area, 27% had symptomatic Nipah infection, and another 8% had subclinical infection with seroconversion. This suggests a ratio of roughly three to one for symptomatic versus asymptomatic infection [15]. The main demographic features of 103 patients treated in another hospital were 88% males, mean age of 38 years, and 78% pig farmers or hired workers [21].
Medical microbiology
Published in Lois N. Magner, Oliver J. Kim, A History of Medicine, 2017
Another recently recognized disease is a deadly encephalitis caused by the Nipah virus. The virus was discovered in 1998 when more than 100 people died as the result of an outbreak traced to pig farms near the village of Nipah in Malaysia. Two years later, scientists found that fruit bats were the natural reservoir of the virus. Logging and forest fires had apparently driven bats out of the forest. Pigs that contract the virus develop an explosive cough that allows the virus to infect humans. Nipah virus is closely related to Hendra virus, which jumped from horses to humans in Australian. Fruit bats were also the source of Hendra virus. Bats appear to be carriers of several emerging diseases, including SARS, Marburg virus, Nipah virus, Ebola fever, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), lyssavirus, Ross River virus, and chikungunya virus. As people encroach on previously undisturbed habitats, changes in the distribution of bats may be creating more opportunities for viruses to jump to human beings and their domesticated animals.
Health promotion and vector-borne disease outbreaks
Published in Glenn Laverack, Health Promotion in Disease Outbreaks and Health Emergencies, 2017
The Nipah virus (NiV) is an emerging zoonotic disease with the potential to cause a disease outbreak as there is currently no cure or vaccine to treat humans. The UK Wellcome Trust, a founding member of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, has identified the Nipah virus, Lassa fever and Middle East respiratory syndrome as likely causes of a future global health emergency and have been prioritised for the research and development of diagnostic tests, vaccines and treatments (Muzundar 2017).
Managing Viral Emerging Infectious Diseases via current Molecular Diagnostics in the Emergency Department: the Tricky Cases
Published in Expert Review of Anti-infective Therapy, 2022
The first case of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection was identified in 1960s [2]. Afterward, hantaviruses were described as the etiological agent of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome [3]. Sporadic cases of Lassa fever, Argentine hemorrhagic fever, and Bolivian hemorrhagic fever had also been a major concern for public health [4]. Since the emergence of the Nipah virus (NiV), this virus has reappeared on different occasions causing severe infections [5]. In 2002, the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV) was identified, and, in 2009, the H1N1 influenza virus showed high community transmission yet low mortality [6,7]. Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) was firstly identified in 2012 and has also caused outbreaks, with its severe cases possibly to succumb to fatal outcomes [8]. The 2013–2015 West African epidemic has been characterized as the most geographically extensive, most fatal, and longest lasting epidemic in Ebola’s history [9]. Zika virus was evident from 2007, but resulted to a Brazilian pandemic outbreak in 2015 [10]. In 2019, SARS Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was identified and led to the current pandemic, while nowadays the Monkeypox virus is again evident [11].
A public-private partnership for the express development of antiviral leads: a perspective view
Published in Expert Opinion on Drug Discovery, 2021
Over the last 120 years, several pandemic influenza outbreaks occurred worldwide (mortality counts: 1918–1920, 20–100 million; 1957–1958, 1–4 million; 1968, 1 million). More recently, respiratory coronaviruses began to invade human populations (SARS, MERS, COVID-19). A disturbing aspect of the coronaviral and influenza biology is the ability to mutate rapidly, combining human strains and animal strains in certain domestic species like ducks and pigs [4,5]. Analogously to influenza, the virulence of the coronavirus infections is typically moderate, but more rare strains such as SARS, MERS, and SARS-CoV-2 can be lethal [6,7]. The simian-to-human transmission is suspected as the original event of the HIV pandemic [8]. Nipah virus, hantavirus, viral hemorrhagic fevers are transmitted by animals and out of the ~1500 pathogens infecting humans, 61% are zoonotic [9].
Post-exposure prophylactic vaccine candidates for the treatment of human Risk Group 4 pathogen infections
Published in Expert Review of Vaccines, 2020
James Logue, Ian Crozier, Peter B Jahrling, Jens H Kuhn
Nipah virus (NiV; Paramyxoviridae: Henipavirus), is responsible for encephalitis outbreaks in Southern and Southeast Asia (in particular, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and India) that have been increasing in regularity and severity. After an incubation period generally ranging from a few days to-14 days, human disease most often presents with fever, headache, and other nonspecific symptoms. Patients may present with respiratory symptoms and signs, but most prominently they will rapidly progress to encephalitis and coma within 5 to 7 days. Disease sequelae have been reported, including relapsing encephalitis developing months or years following recovery [117]. Transmission of NiV to humans has been linked to domestic pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus Erxleben, 1777) that have come into contact with NiV natural reservoir hosts (pteropodid bats) [118]. As potential routes of infection are well documented for NiV, PEP vaccination may have the potential to minimize the spread of NiV among humans, especially if implemented following noticeable disease in domestic pigs. Though no currently licensed vaccine for the prevention of NiV infection is available, multiple candidate vaccines have been developed, including rVSIV-vectored and rabies virus-vectored vaccines, which have variable efficacy in animal studies if administered prior to infection [119,120]. These candidate vaccines should be evaluated for PEP efficacy as soon as possible. Likewise, similar candidate PEP vaccines ought to be developed for NiV’s closest relative, Hendra virus, which, thus far, has caused a handful of lethal encephalitis cases [121].