Nipah virus encephalitis

Last reviewed 01/2018

This is a rapidly progressive, severe encephalitis with a high mortality.

The virus is thought to be transmitted from pigs. Many patients will have had close contact with pigs within the previous two weeks (1).

• the exact route of transmission in humans is not known, experimental infection in different animal species suggests that infection can be efficiently initiated after inhalation of virus particles (2)

Reference:

• Goh, KJ, Tan, CT. (2000). Clinical features of Nipah virus encephalitis among pig farmers in Malaysia. New Engl J Med, 342, 1229-35
• Rockx, Brining D, Kramer J, Callison J, Ebihara H, Mansfield K, Feldmann H (2011) Clinical outcome of henipavirus infection in hamsters is d etermined by the route and dose of infection . J Virol 8: 7658 - 7671