News Excerpt:
New method to generate virus-like particles, to help with developing antibodies against Nipah.
More about the news:
- Scientists at the Institute of Advanced Virology (IAV), Thonnakkal, Thiruvananthapuram, have developed a novel way of generating non-infectious Nipah virus-like particles (VLPs) in the laboratory, which mimic the wild type Nipah virus (NiV).
- It offers an alternate, safe and effective platform for developing neutralizing antibodies against NiV in a biosafety level-2 (BSL) laboratory.
About Nipah Virus:
- Nipah virus (NiV) is a zoonotic virus (it is transmitted from animals to humans) and can also be transmitted through contaminated food or directly between people.
- In infected people, it causes a range of illnesses from asymptomatic (subclinical) infection to acute respiratory illness and fatal encephalitis.
- The virus can also cause severe disease in animals such as pigs, resulting in significant economic losses for farmers.
History:
- Nipah virus was first recognized in 1999 during an outbreak among pig farmers in, Malaysia.
- No new outbreaks have been reported in Malaysia since 1999.
- It was also recognized in Bangladesh in 2001, and periodically in eastern India.
Signs and symptoms:
- Infected people initially develop symptoms including fever, headaches, myalgia (muscle pain), vomiting and sore throat.
- This can be followed by dizziness, drowsiness, altered consciousness, and neurological signs that indicate acute encephalitis.
- Some people can also experience atypical pneumonia and severe respiratory problems, including acute respiratory distress.
- Encephalitis and seizures occur in severe cases, progressing to coma within 24 to 48 hours.
- The incubation period (interval from infection to the onset of symptoms) is believed to range from 4 to 14 days. However, an incubation period as long as 45 days has been reported.
Treatment:
- There are currently no drugs or vaccines specific for Nipah virus infection although WHO has identified Nipah as a priority disease for the WHO Research and Development Blueprint
- Intensive supportive care is recommended to treat severe respiratory and neurologic complications.
Way forward:
- If an outbreak is suspected, the animal premises should be quarantined immediately.
- Restricting or banning the movement of animals from infected farms to other areas can reduce the spread of the disease.
- Establishing an animal health/wildlife surveillance system, using a One Health approach, to detect Nipah cases and provide early warning.
