About Nipah Virus

Key points

  • Nipah is a serious and often deadly disease spread by fruit bats found mostly in South and Southeast Asia.
  • Nipah virus spreads from animals to people and from person to person.
  • Treatment consists of managing symptoms and supportive care,
  • Around 40%–70% of people with Nipah die.
Flying fox fruit bat in the sky

What it is

Nipah virus causes disease that can spread between animals and people. Nipah virus is carried by fruit bats (genus Pteropus), also known as flying foxes.

In 1999, Nipah was first discovered in Malaysia and Singapore following an outbreak that started in pigs and then spread to people. More than 300 people got sick, and more than 100 of those people died.

Nipah outbreaks have only been reported from Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Philippines, and Singapore. However, the fruit bats that carry the Nipah virus are found throughout Asia, the South Pacific, and Australia.

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Map showing presence of fruit bats and Nipah outbreaks
Flying foxes (yellow) can be found throughout South and Southeast Asia, Australia, and the Pacific Islands, but Nipah has only been reported in a few places (red).

Signs and symptoms

Nipah can cause mild to severe disease, including swelling of the brain and death.

People with Nipah are typically sick for 3 to 14 days with fever, headache, cough, sore throat, and difficulty breathing. Later in the infection, some people may experience brain swelling, or encephalitis, and severe symptoms can include confusion, drowsiness, and seizures. People with these symptoms can fall into a coma within 24-48 hours.

How long it takes for signs to show

People with Nipah usually start getting sick 4-14 days after they were infected with the virus.

How it spreads

People can be infected with Nipah from:

  • Direct contact with infected animals, like pigs or bats called flying foxes
  • Consuming food or drinks that are contaminated by infected animals. Many outbreaks have happened after people consumed raw date palm sap or fruit contaminated by an infected bat.
  • Close contact with body fluids of an infected person

Once a person is infected with Nipah by coming in contact with an infected animal or contaminated food, they can spread the virus to other people.

Reducing risk

Caregivers and healthcare providers caring for a patient with Nipah are at a higher risk of becoming infected.

If you travel to or live in an area where Nipah virus outbreaks have occurred, you should:

  • Wash your hands regularly with soap and water.
  • Avoid contact with flying fox bats or sick pigs.
  • Avoid areas where bats roost
  • Avoid touching anything that could be contaminated by bats.
  • Avoid eating raw date palm sap or fruit that could be contaminated by bats.
  • Avoid contact with the blood or body fluids of someone with Nipah.

Testing and diagnosis

If your healthcare provider suspects Nipah, they can order a test to see whether or not you have the disease.

Treatment and recovery

Currently there are no licensed treatments for Nipah. Treatment is limited to supportive care, including rest, hydration, and managing other symptoms.

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Content Source:
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID)