In light of the recent Nipah virus outbreaks in Kerala, knowing more about the virus and its effects is essential. This article summarizes past outbreaks and provides an overview of how it has been dealt with, and studies carried out to determine the treatment modalities. Background – What? How? Where? NiV, an emerging zoonotic pathogen, infects humans, causing encephalitis.
This virus can be transmitted between humans to a certain extent. NiV was first identified as a causative agent of the outbreaks in pigs and encephalitis in humans in Malaysia and Singapore in 1998. Soon, in 2001, India and Bangladesh witnessed the outbreak caused by NiV. Every year since then, such outbreaks have been reported in Bangladesh; a few cases have also been reported in the India-Bangladesh borders. The initial advances in the spread of the disease were amplified by person-to-person transmission.…
