The Nipah Virus

Every living cell has a fixed mode of functioning. When there is any alteration to the normal functionality, the cell is said to have suffered from some sort of damage. To the human body, or for that matter any organism, this damage can occur due to various reasons, one of which is an invasion by a foreign organism. This infection or invasion can be done by a wide variety of microorganisms. Even though viruses are not considered as mainstream living creatures (as they possess both living and non-living characters), they are fully capable of inducing infection(s) and causing havoc. There are many viral diseases which have no cure yet. One such virus is the Nipah Virus. The recent outbreak of the Nipah Virus (NiV) in the state of Kerala, India, has spread a wave of fear amongst the citizens. The current official death toll stands at 12, including one medical staff nurse who was engaged in the treatment of the infected.

The NiV infection is a newly emerging zoonosis which can cause severe disorders in both animals and humans. One of the deadliest factors of the infection is that it can lead to a coma stage in a day or two. That means, even before you know it, it can take your life away. However, keeping a cautious watch over one’s habits and health can lead to immediate identification and proper mitigatory actions. The fruit bats act as a natural host to the virus. Factual evidence suggests the virus being capable of spreading from animals to humans. There are instances where human to human transmission of the virus is also documented. Viral diseases are difficult to treat because of a number of reasons, including the inability of the human body to recognize the viral particle as an antigen as well as the ability of the viral genome to mutate. Attempts have been made to counteract the actions of several viruses to prevent infection or the spread of the disease. Nevertheless, designing virus-targeting drug is indeed a difficult task. As of now, there are no vaccines as such present against the infection.

                                                                 Image: The Fruit Bat

              

The first NiV outbreak dates back to 1998 in Kampung Sungai Nipah, Malaysia (from where it gets its name). Pigs were identified to be the intermediary hosts in this case. However, during its subsequent outbreak in Bangladesh in 2004, there were no such identified intermediary hosts with (43-100) % fatality. In its recent outbreak in India, human to human transmission has also been observed. More than 600 cases of NiV infection have been reported since its first outbreak till 2015. Its recent appearance certainly adds to the final toll.

The risk of infection is high for the hospital staff and caretakers as the virus is capable of human-to-human transmission. Any direct contact with the natural host or consumption of infected food items can lead to the infection. The symptoms can appear within 3-14 days of exposure, following which the patient can enter coma stage in the subsequent 24-28 hours, if not diagnosed properly. Here are some of the common symptoms of the infection:

·         Headache

·         Drowsiness

·         Mental confusion

·         Disorientation

·         Fever

·         Respiratory problems

·         Nausea

·         Muscle pain

There are no drugs/vaccines developed till now that present a cure to the infection. The only shot at saving the life is supported care. With proper diagnosis and medication the spread of the infection can be prevented. And as always, prevention is better than cure. Keeping a vigilant eye on one’s health can help oneself stay away from this virus (or any pathogen for that matter). Awareness regarding the symptoms and the chances of infection can keep one at a safe distance from the virus. However, research is still going on to find out a cure for this infection. But until then, we hold the power to stay away from the devil. So let us spread the word and stay safe.

Written by:

Divyajyoti Biswal