PLOS Global Public Health (Jan 2024)

Pandemic potential of the Nipah virus and public health strategies adopted during outbreaks: Lessons from Kerala, India.

  • Thekkumkara Surendran Anish,
  • Reghukumar Aravind,
  • Chandni Radhakrishnan,
  • Nivedita Gupta,
  • Pragya D Yadav,
  • Jerin Jose Cherian,
  • Rima Sahay,
  • Shubin Chenayil,
  • Anoop Kumar A S,
  • Anitha Puduvail Moorkoth,
  • Ashadevi,
  • Velichapat Ramakrishnan Lathika,
  • Shamsudeen Moideen,
  • Sekhar Lukose Kuriakose,
  • Kalathil Joseph Reena,
  • Thomas Mathew

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0003926
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 4, no. 12
p. e0003926

Abstract

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Kerala, a south Indian state witnessed several outbreaks of Nipah encephalitis since 2018, a zoonotic viral disease with significant pandemic potential. This review highlights the relevance of surveillance and health system preparedness, infection control, early diagnosis and treatment with broad-spectrum antivirals, environmental conservation, and community engagement in mitigating Nipah outbreaks. Additionally, it emphasises the importance of developing new biologicals and anti-viral drugs to combat the disease. The article discusses the available evidence on the spillover mechanisms, genetic attributes of the circulating virus, ecological factors, risk of hospital-based superspreading, treatment outcomes and successful strategies employed in Kerala in response to the recurrent Nipah outbreaks.