Nipah Virus: A Zoonotic Threat Re-Emerging in the Wake of Global Public Health Challenges
The re-emergence of the Nipah virus (NiV) in Kerala, India, following the tragic death of a 14-year-old boy, underscores the persistent threat posed by zoonotic pathogens and highlights the growing global public health challenge. With no vaccine or curative treatment available, and fatality rates as...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Microorganisms |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/1/124 |
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| author | Francesco Branda Giancarlo Ceccarelli Marta Giovanetti Mattia Albanese Erica Binetti Massimo Ciccozzi Fabio Scarpa |
| author_facet | Francesco Branda Giancarlo Ceccarelli Marta Giovanetti Mattia Albanese Erica Binetti Massimo Ciccozzi Fabio Scarpa |
| author_sort | Francesco Branda |
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| description | The re-emergence of the Nipah virus (NiV) in Kerala, India, following the tragic death of a 14-year-old boy, underscores the persistent threat posed by zoonotic pathogens and highlights the growing global public health challenge. With no vaccine or curative treatment available, and fatality rates as high as 94% in past outbreaks, the Nipah virus is a critical concern for health authorities worldwide. Transmitted primarily through contact with fruit bats or consumption of contaminated food, as well as direct human-to-human transmission, NiV remains a highly lethal and unpredictable pathogen. The World Health Organization has classified Nipah as a priority pathogen due to its alarming potential to cause widespread outbreaks and even trigger the next pandemic. Recent outbreaks in India and Bangladesh, occurring with seasonal regularity, have once again exposed the vulnerability of public health systems in containing this virus. This study explores the epidemiology, ecological factors driving transmission, and the public health response to NiV, emphasizing the role of zoonotic spillovers in pandemic preparedness. As the global community grapples with an increasing number of emerging infectious diseases, the Nipah virus stands as a stark reminder of the importance of coordinated surveillance, rapid containment measures, and the urgent development of novel strategies to mitigate the impact of this re-emerging threat. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b8ad885e702f445d97f04bfcd1576668 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-2607 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Microorganisms |
| spelling | doaj-art-b8ad885e702f445d97f04bfcd15766682025-01-24T13:42:44ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072025-01-0113112410.3390/microorganisms13010124Nipah Virus: A Zoonotic Threat Re-Emerging in the Wake of Global Public Health ChallengesFrancesco Branda0Giancarlo Ceccarelli1Marta Giovanetti2Mattia Albanese3Erica Binetti4Massimo Ciccozzi5Fabio Scarpa6Unit of Medical Statistics and Molecular Epidemiology, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, 00128 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, University of Rome Sapienza, 00161 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Science and Technologies for Sustainable Development and One Health, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, 00128 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, University of Rome Sapienza, 00161 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, University of Rome Sapienza, 00161 Rome, ItalyUnit of Medical Statistics and Molecular Epidemiology, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, 00128 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, ItalyThe re-emergence of the Nipah virus (NiV) in Kerala, India, following the tragic death of a 14-year-old boy, underscores the persistent threat posed by zoonotic pathogens and highlights the growing global public health challenge. With no vaccine or curative treatment available, and fatality rates as high as 94% in past outbreaks, the Nipah virus is a critical concern for health authorities worldwide. Transmitted primarily through contact with fruit bats or consumption of contaminated food, as well as direct human-to-human transmission, NiV remains a highly lethal and unpredictable pathogen. The World Health Organization has classified Nipah as a priority pathogen due to its alarming potential to cause widespread outbreaks and even trigger the next pandemic. Recent outbreaks in India and Bangladesh, occurring with seasonal regularity, have once again exposed the vulnerability of public health systems in containing this virus. This study explores the epidemiology, ecological factors driving transmission, and the public health response to NiV, emphasizing the role of zoonotic spillovers in pandemic preparedness. As the global community grapples with an increasing number of emerging infectious diseases, the Nipah virus stands as a stark reminder of the importance of coordinated surveillance, rapid containment measures, and the urgent development of novel strategies to mitigate the impact of this re-emerging threat.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/1/124Nipah viruszoonotic pathogensglobal healthsurveillance |
| spellingShingle | Francesco Branda Giancarlo Ceccarelli Marta Giovanetti Mattia Albanese Erica Binetti Massimo Ciccozzi Fabio Scarpa Nipah Virus: A Zoonotic Threat Re-Emerging in the Wake of Global Public Health Challenges Microorganisms Nipah virus zoonotic pathogens global health surveillance |
| title | Nipah Virus: A Zoonotic Threat Re-Emerging in the Wake of Global Public Health Challenges |
| title_full | Nipah Virus: A Zoonotic Threat Re-Emerging in the Wake of Global Public Health Challenges |
| title_fullStr | Nipah Virus: A Zoonotic Threat Re-Emerging in the Wake of Global Public Health Challenges |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nipah Virus: A Zoonotic Threat Re-Emerging in the Wake of Global Public Health Challenges |
| title_short | Nipah Virus: A Zoonotic Threat Re-Emerging in the Wake of Global Public Health Challenges |
| title_sort | nipah virus a zoonotic threat re emerging in the wake of global public health challenges |
| topic | Nipah virus zoonotic pathogens global health surveillance |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/1/124 |
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