Nipah virus (NiV)-TMS

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Nipah virus (NiV) was first discovered in 1999 following an outbreak of disease in pigs and people in Malaysia and Singapore. This outbreak resulted in nearly 300 human cases and more than 100 deaths, and caused substantial economic impact as more than 1 million pigs were killed to help control the outbreak. While there have been no other known outbreaks of NiV in Malaysia and Singapore since 1999, outbreaks have been recorded almost annually in some parts of Asia since then—primarily in Bangladesh and India. The virus has been shown to spread from person-to-person in these outbreaks, raising concerns about the potential for NiV to cause a global pandemic.

Treatment for NiV is limited to supportive care, including rest, hydration, and treatment of symptoms. Immunotherapeutic treatments are currently being developed and evaluated.

Prevention

• Practice handwashing regularly with soap and water
• Avoid contact with sick bats or pigs
• Avoid areas where bats are known to roost
• Avoid eating or drinking products that could be contaminated by bats, such as raw date palm sap, raw fruit, or fruit that is found on the ground
• Avoid contact with the blood or body fluids of any person known to be infected with NiV