Prevention, Control

Treatment of Nipah
Virus Infection
Utsav Kumar Shrestha
Roll no. : S-22
Prevention
• In the absence of a vaccine, the only way to
reduce or prevent infection in people is by
raising awareness of the risk factors and
educating people about the measures they
can take to reduce exposure to  the Nipah
virus.
Prevention
• There are three ways by which the risk of
infection in human beings can be reduced.
• Reducing the risk of bat-to-human
transmission.
• Reducing the risk of animal-to-human
transmission.
• Reducing the risk of human-to-human
transmission.
Prevention
Reducing the risk of bat-to-human
transmission.
•Efforts to prevent transmission should first
focus on decreasing bat access to date palm
sap and other fresh fruit products.
•Keep bats away from sap collection sites using
protective coverings (such as bamboo sap
skirt).
Prevention
• Unpasteurized fruit juices should not be
drunk and fruits should be washed
thoroughly, peeled and cooked.
• Fruits with bat bite signs should be discarded.
 Prevention
Reducing the risk of animal-to-human transmission.
•In endemic areas, pigs and fruit bats should be
avoided whenever possible.
•Gloves and other protective clothing should be
worn while handling infected pigs.
Prevention
Reducing the risk of human-to-human
transmission
•Avoid unprotected physical contact with NiV
infected persons.
•Good personal hygiene including hand
washing reduces the risk of infection.
Prevention
A subunit vaccination, using the Hendra G
protein produces cross-protective antibodies
against HENV and NIPV has been recently used
in Australia to protect horses against Hendra
virus. This vaccine offers great potential for
Henipa virus protection in humans as well.
Control
• Avoid all contact with potentially infected
species (pigs, dogs, cats) until proper
authorities are consulted, in case of an
outbreak.
• Because Nipah virus can be transmitted from
person to person, barrier nursing should be
used when caring for infected patients.
Control
Patients should be isolated and personal
protective equipment such as protective
gloves, clothing and masks should be used.
Treatment
• There are currently no drugs or vaccines
specific for Nipah virus infection although
WHO has identified Nipah virus for the WHO
Research and Development Blueprint.
• Intensive supportive care is recommended to
treat severe respiratory and neurologic
complications.
Treatment
• The drug Ribavirin has been shown to be
effective against the virus in the laboratory
(in vitro) but human investigations till date
have been inconclusive and the clinical
usefulness of Ribavirin in humans remains
uncertain.
Summary
• Nipah virus infection can be prevented by
avoiding exposure to sick pigs and bats in
endemic areas and by not drinking raw date
palm sap.
• Additional efforts on surveillance and
awareness will help prevent future outbreaks.
• Nipah virus infection has no specific
treatment or vaccines, but intensive
supportive care has been recommended.