It has a lethality of up to 75% in humans and several cases have already been detected in India, near the state of West Bengal, where about 100 million people live. This is the Nipah virus, an infectious disease that can be transmitted to humans from animals, such as bats or pigs, but also from person to person.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) in this regard, at the moment “there are no specific treatments or vaccines for people or animals.” In fact, the organization details that “in humans, treatment consists of supportive measures.” This virus has already caused five cases in India, in addition to one deceased person who had previously been in a coma.
Low mortality in pigs
Its impact on animals mainly affects the respiratory system and nervous system. According to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), in pigs “mortality is low, except in piglets.”
Among the main symptoms is difficulty breathing when developing “a febrile respiratory illness with intense cough.” Diagnosing the virus is complex based solely on clinical signs, although confirmation can be done through laboratory tests, as detailed by the agency.
Mortality rate up to 75%
In humans, the virus has a high mortality rate ranging from 40 to 75%. According to the World Organization for Animal Health, in India cases are usually transmitted by bats and the ingestion of food contaminated with bat secretions, such as raw palm sap or fruits.
Among the symptoms it presents in humans, the WHO indicates that it can cause an acute respiratory illness or fatal encephalitis. Infected people usually start with flu-like symptoms, such as fever, sore throat and vomiting, among others. In the most severe cases, encephalitis and seizures appear, which end in coma within 24 or 48 hours of its manifestation.
