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Review
. 2024 Dec 19;4(12):e0003926.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0003926. eCollection 2024.

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

Thekkumkara Surendran Anish  1   2 , Reghukumar Aravind  3 , Chandni Radhakrishnan  4 , Nivedita Gupta  5 , Pragya D Yadav  6 , Jerin Jose Cherian  5   7 , Rima Sahay  6 , Shubin Chenayil  8 , Anoop Kumar A S  9 , Anitha Puduvail Moorkoth  10 , Ashadevi  11 , Velichapat Ramakrishnan Lathika  11 , Shamsudeen Moideen  12 , Sekhar Lukose Kuriakose  13 , Kalathil Joseph Reena  11 , Thomas Mathew  14
Affiliations
Review

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

Thekkumkara Surendran Anish et al. PLOS Glob Public Health. .

Abstract

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.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Map showing the locations in the state of Kerala of reported spillovers, hospital-based super spreading events and reservoirs found positive in bats for NiV.
Published under a CC BY license with permission from Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA), original copyright [2024].
Fig 2
Fig 2. Current knowledge about Nipah virus transmission.
Published under a CC BY license with permission from the designer, original copyright [2024].
Fig 3
Fig 3. Health system response and activities in Kerala following identification of a NiV spillover.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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