Nipah virus infection A new danger may threaten humanity, and global fears that it will become the next global pandemic. At a time when the world is preoccupied with confronting the Corona virus, concerns have been raised about the possible outbreak of the Nipah virus, which may be considered more dangerous than the Corona virus. So what is Nipah virus and what are its symptoms.

What is Nipah virus

Nipah Virus (NiV) is a viral infection that can be transmitted from animals such as bats and pigs to humans. It can also be transmitted through contaminated food or transmitted directly from an infected person to another. Fruit bats are the natural host for Nipah virus. So far, there is no treatment or vaccine for this virus, whether for humans or animals, and the basic treatment for humans in case of infection depends on supportive care only.

Nipah virus infection was first discovered in 1999 in Malaysia when an outbreak occurred among pig farmers. As for the following cases, which were discovered in India and Bangladesh, they were caused by eating fruits or fruit products contaminated with the saliva or urine of infected bats. Human-to-human transmission of Nipah virus infection has also been reported among family members or between caregivers of patients infected with the virus.

Other areas may be at risk, especially those with large bat populations and poor health care.

Symptoms of Nipah virus

he thinks that The incubation period for Nipah virus infection (From the date of infection to the onset of symptoms) ranges from 4 to 14 days, but an incubation period of up to 45 days has also been reported.

The infected person may not show symptoms or may lead to acute respiratory infection, which may range in severity from mild to severe, or fatal encephalitis.

People infected with the virus may initially develop some symptoms, Symptoms of Nipah virus include:

• Headache
• fever
• muscle pain;
• Nausea and vomiting
• sore throat
• lethargy
• Breathing difficulty
• Dizziness and fainting

Complications of Nipah virus symptoms

Some patients may also suffer from acute respiratory problems and atypical pneumonia, and neurological signs may appear in the case of acute encephalitis such as confusion and mental confusion, which may develop into a coma in a period ranging from 24 to 48 hours only.

People who have survived acute encephalitis may fully recover, but at the same time, long-term neurological conditions have been reported in some survivors, who represent 20% of patients, such as persistent seizures and personality changes.

The death rate so far is estimated at about 40% to 75% of people infected with it, and this rate may vary according to the extent of this virus and the ability of countries to confront it.

Treatment of Nipah virus infection

According to the WHO report, there is still no specific treatment or vaccine to treat Nipah virus infection. Therefore, the organization has added it to its list of priorities for research and development. This leaves this virus at the present time without a line of defense other than providing supportive care in order to avoid severe health complications that may claim the patient’s life.