The Nipah virus (NiV) is a new disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans. The virus can be spread by direct contact with infected pigs, bats, or other people.
What do we know about the Nipah virus?
As there is no vaccine for this virus yet, people must take adequate precautions to avoid this disease. Some of the most frequently asked questions are addressed by Dr. Shiva Kumar R, Senior Consultant Neurologist and Epileptologist, and Dr. Jyothsna Krishnappa, Senior Medical Consultant
internal.
What happens to the human body after it becomes infected?
The infected person goes through myocarditis and encephalitis (inflammation of the brain and heart muscle) and can become fatal.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms of a Nipah virus infection are similar to those associated with the common flu and influenza, including fever and muscle pain. Some cases can also involve inflammation of the brain.
At the moment, there is no specific treatment for the disease. So health professionals can only try to control fever and neurological symptoms.
Symptoms begin 5 to 14 days after exposure
The initial symptoms are …
- Fever and headache followed by drowsiness.
- Disorientation and confusion
- Dificulty to walk
- Foam in the mouth
- Rapidly progressing to a coma
- Respiratory problems
- Diagnosis
This is how it is detected
Serological tests of paired sera during the acute and convalescent stages can be used for diagnosis. Real-time PCR of the throat and nasal swabs, blood, urine, and CSF can also be performed. Immunohistochemistry of brain tissue can be performed in fatal cases.
Precautions
In India, the disease can be prevented by avoiding animals known to be infected and using appropriate personal protective devices. In the case of Mexico, a case of Nipah has never been detected.
Treatment
Currently, no drug treatment has been shown to be effective in treating Nipah virus infection.
Currently, early treatment with the antiviral drug ribavirin can reduce the duration of fever and the severity of the illness. However, how well this treatment cures the disease or improves survival is still unknown.
Related Notes:
This is how COVID-19 can affect your patients’ mouths
Why are women more prone to vaccine side effects …
Ssa stops TOTAL protections for children to get vaccinated against COVID