The ICMR-NIV has found evidence of the Nipah virus circulation among fruit bats across nine states and one Union Territory.
Nipah virus is regarded as one of the pathogens with the potential to cause a pandemic. Acknowledging the threat, the Pune-based Indian Council of Medical Research’s National Institute of Virology (ICMR-NIV) has been carrying out a nationwide survey to detect the prevalence of Nipah virus in different parts of the country. So far, it has surveyed 14 states and two Union Territories, out of which they have found the presence of Nipah viral antibodies in fruit bats across nine states and one Union Territory.
Often, the Pteropus species of fruit bats, also known as flying foxes, are the carriers of the Nipah virus.
According to Dr Pragya Yadav, scientist ‘F’ and group leader, Maximum Containment Laboratory, ICMR-NIV, the evidence of the Nipah virus circulation has been found from the states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam and Meghalaya and the Union Territory of Pondicherry.
The ICMR-NIV survey was also undertaken in the states of Telangana, Gujarat, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha and the Union Territory of Chandigarh.
In the past, the ICMR-NIV had detected the presence of the virus among the Pteropus bats found in Dhubri district of Assam; Myanaguri, Cooch Behar area of West Bengal and Kozhikode district in Kerala.
Why Nipah virus circulation in bats is concerning?
In infected people, Nipah virus can cause acute respiratory illness and fatal encephalitis (swelling of the brain). Symptoms associated with Nipah virus infection include fever, headache, myalgia (pain in the muscles), vomiting, altered sensorium, acute respiratory distress, and convulsions.
According to WHO, the virus can be transmitted to people from animals (sick pigs and infected fruit bats), as well as through contaminated food or directly from person-to-person.
WHO has also confirmed transmission of the virus among family and care givers of infected patients.
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Nipah virus outbreaks in India
In India, the first Nipah virus outbreak in humans occurred in West Bengal’s Siliguri in January-February 2001, which led to 66 cases including 45 deaths. But the outbreak was confirmed only in 2006, due to lack of diagnostic tests. India reported its second Nipah virus outbreak in April 2007 in the Nadia district West Bengal.
The third outbreak occurred in Kerala’s Kozhikode district in May 2018, which claimed 16 lives out of the 18 confirmed cases.
Subsequently, in June 2019, India saw its fourth outbreak of Nipah virus in the Ernakulam district of Kerala. However, there was only one positive case, with fever and encephalitis-like symptoms, and the patient survived with supportive care.
In August-September 2021, Nipah virus outbreak was reported again in Kozhikode, with one death case.
The ICMR-NIV investigated the affected area in 2018 and identified the presence of the Nipah virus in fruit bats.
Dr Yadav stated that the findings of the nationwide survey will help in taking necessary precautionary steps to prevent future Nipah virus outbreaks in the country.
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