Can the Nipah virus also infect humans?

The virus Nipah is a virus zoonotic, which is the result of the transmission of the animals to the human body. The virus is a part of the Paramyxoviridae family and the Henipavirus group. I was identified for the first time in 1999 during the épidémie of the porcs and the people of Malaisie and Singapore.

People can become infected through direct contact with infected animals, such as bats (the natural reservoir hosts of the virus) and pigs, or with their bodily fluids. Human-to-human transmission can occur through contact with bodily fluids of an infected person. Infection can also occur through consumption of contaminated food such as date palm sap that has been contaminated by bats.

The symptoms of a Nipah virus infection range from mild to severe and may include fever and headache, muscle aches and dizziness, confusion and loss of consciousness and breathing problems.

The incubation period, the period between exposure and the onset of symptoms, is typically 5-14 days but can be up to 45 days. The Nipah virus is dangerous because of its high mortality, which varies between 40% and 75% depending on the outbreak. There is no specific treatment or vaccine for Nipah virus, making supportive care the main treatment option.

Source: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/nipah-virus

Author: Prof. Dr. Dirk Devroey - Latest update: 2024-07-15 - Copyright: Clinifacts 2024