NIPAH VIRUS

Course overview

NIPAH VIRUS INFECTION IS CAUSED BY THE NIPAH VIRUS (NIV) AND OCCURS AS OUTBREAKS IN SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST ASIA. IT IS A ZOONOTIC DISEASE WITH BATS BEING THE RESERVOIR HOST. TRANSMISSION CAN OCCUR FROM BAT TO HUMANS OR THROUGH PIGS WHICH ARE THE INTERMEDIATE HOSTS. NIV PRESENTS AS TWO DISTINCT CLINICAL SYNDROMES AS ENCEPHALITIS OR WITH PREDOMINANTLY RESPIRATORY INVOLVEMENT BASED ON THE STRAIN OF THE VIRUS AND HAS A HIGH MORTALITY RATE. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE CLINICAL EVALUATION OF NIPAH VIRUS INFECTION AND EXPLAINS THE ROLE OF AN INTER-PROFESSIONAL TEAM IN COORDINATING THE CARE OF THIS DISEASE.