Swine Flu: Facts
- It is a RNA Virus. The first outbreak of the Nipah Virus took place in Kampung Sungai Nipah, Malaysia in 1998
- Its first host were the pigs from which the virus spread
- The outbreak took place in Singapore in 1999
- The first incident of Nipah virus outbreak in humans took place in Bangladesh in 2004 by eating date palm sap infected by fruit bats
- It has symptoms like asymptomatic infection to acute respiratory syndrome and fatal encephalitis
- Nipah virus can be transmitted to humans from animals (bats, pigs), and can also be transmitted directly from human-to-human.
How is it transmitted:
- Humans to Human.
- Bats to Human by eating infected fruits[/highlight].
- Fever (100 F or greater)
- Muscle pain
- Sore throat
This can be followed by dizziness, drowsiness, altered consciousness, and neurological signs that indicate acute encephalitis
Incubation Period: 4-14 days from the infection.
- No remedy has been discovered yet for both animals and humans(Relenza)
Clinical Diagnosis of Nipah Virus
- enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
- polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay
- virus isolation by cell culture
Precautions to be taken
- Preventing bats from accessing fruits and date palm sap
- Gloves and other protection clothing should be worn while treating sick animals
- Close contact with Nipah virus infected person should be avoided
Attempts to Neutralize the virus outbreak: Nipah virus is on the WHO list of Blueprint priority diseases