ETIDIOH - NEW

  Situation at a glance On 26 January 2026, the National IHR Focal Point for India notified WHO of two laboratory‑confirmed cases of Nipah virus (NiV) infection in West Bengal State .  Both are healthcare workers at the same private hospital in Barasat (North 24 Parganas district).  NiV infection was confirmed at the National Institute of Virology in Pune on 13 January.  One case remains on mechanical ventilation as of 21 January, the other case experienced severe neurological illness but has since improved.  Authorities have identified and tested over 190 contacts , who all tested negative for NiV with support from a mobile BSL‑3 laboratory deployed by the National Institute of Virology, Pune.  No further cases have been detected to date.  This event represents the third NiV infection outbreak reported in West Bengal (previous outbreaks reported in Siliguri in 2001 and Nadia in 2007).  Enhanced surveillance and infection prevention and control (I...

  DH follows up on Nipah virus infection cluster in India In light of reports indicating a cluster of a Nipah virus infection in a certain region of India, the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) said today (January 26) that it has proactively sought further information from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Indian health authorities .  The CHP is also conducting health screenings on inbound travellers from the affected area who exhibit suspected symptoms, with an aim of promptly referring suspected cases to hospitals for investigation.  Currently, there are no imported or local cases of Nipah virus infection in Hong Kong. Preliminary information indicated that a hospital in Kolkata, West Bengal, India, has recorded five confirmed cases of Nipah virus infection since mid-January of this year.  The cluster was mainly due to nosocomial transmission and primarily involved healthcare workers , with no reported deaths or cross-border ...

  Abstract Diseases caused by henipaviruses, exemplified by Hendra virus and Nipah virus, pose a serious risk to public health because of their epidemic potential and high case-fatality rates and the paucity of medical countermeasures to mitigate them. In December 2024, a group of 150 scientists from 16 countries convened in Geelong, Victoria, Australia, to mark the 30th anniversary of the discovery of Hendra virus . The Hendra@30 conference built upon its predecessor conference held in 2019 in Singapore, Nipah@20, by expanding its program across broader disciplines and integrating sessions on human sociology and disease ecology into the main scientific discussions. We describe key highlights from Hendra@30 and reflect on 4 key elements that have advanced henipavirus research and medical countermeasures research and development. We propose that integrating bat ecology into henipavirus research blueprints will enable development of ecologic countermeasures that prevent spillover and...

  Abstract Nipah virus (NiV) is a zoonotic pathogen that causes severe encephalitis and respiratory disease in humans and multiple mammalian species. However, no licensed vaccines or therapeutics are currently available against NiV infection. In this study, we developed three mRNA vaccine candidates using a lipid nanoparticle (LNP) delivery platform : mRNA-F-LNP, comprising mRNA encoding the fusion protein (F); mRNA-G-LNP, containing mRNA encoding the attachment glycoprotein (G); and mRNA-GF-LNP, in which mRNAs encoding both F and G proteins were co-encapsulated at a 1:1 molar ratio. All three mRNA-LNPs induced robust and sustained immune responses in both mice and Syrian hamsters . Sera from immunized Syrian hamster showed high levels of cross-neutralizing antibodies against both NiV-Malaysia (NiV-M) and NiV-Bangladesh (NiV-B) strains. Notably, all three mRNA-LNPs conferred complete protection against a lethal challenge with NiV-M in Syrian hamsters. These findings demonstrate tha...

  Summary Background First discovered in 1999 in Malaysia, Nipah virus (NiV) causes yearly outbreaks throughout south and southeast Asia with associated mortality rates of 40–75%. Due to the structural and sequence similarities between the NiV and Hendra virus (HeV) attachment G glycoproteins , and the extensive extant evidence of the ability of a recombinant soluble glycoprotein G (HeV-sG) to provide heterologous cross-protective immunity when used as vaccine (HeV-sG-V), this study aimed to evaluate HeV-sG-V for safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity against NiV. Methods We conducted a phase 1, single-centre, randomised, observer-blind, placebo-controlled study . Eligible participants were aged 18–49 years, healthy, and not pregnant ; participants were ineligible if they were immunocompromised, had received blood products within 6 months of enrolment, had potential exposure to NiV or HeV, or had known allergies to components of the vaccine. Participants were randomly assigned in...

  Summary Background First discovered in 1999 in Malaysia, Nipah virus (NiV) causes yearly outbreaks throughout south and southeast Asia with associated mortality rates of 40–75 %. Due to the structural and sequence similarities between the NiV and Hendra virus (HeV) attachment G glycoproteins , and the extensive extant evidence of the ability of a recombinant soluble glycoprotein G (HeV-sG) to provide heterologous cross-protective immunity when used as vaccine (HeV-sG-V), this study aimed to evaluate HeV-sG-V for safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity against NiV. Methods We conducted a phase 1, single-centre, randomised, observer-blind, placebo-controlled study . Eligible participants were aged 18–49 years, healthy, and not pregnant; participants were ineligible if they were immunocompromised, had received blood products within 6 months of enrolment, had potential exposure to NiV or HeV, or had known allergies to components of the vaccine. Participants were randomly assigned in...

  Situation at a glance Between 1 January and 29 August 2025, the International Health Regulations National Focal Point (IHR NFP) for Bangladesh notified WHO of four confirmed fatal Nipah virus (NiV) infection cases , temporally unrelated , reported from four different districts across three separated geographical divisions (Barisal, Dhaka, and Rajshahi) in Bangladesh.  NiV infection is a zoonotic disease transmitted to humans through infected animals (such as bats or pigs ), or food contaminated with saliva, urine , and excreta of infected animals .  It can also be transmitted directly from person to person through close contact with an infected person.  Fruit bats or flying foxes (Pteropus species) are the natural hosts for the virus.  Human NiV infection is an epidemic-prone disease that can cause severe disease in humans and animals, with a high mortality rate , and outbreaks primarily occurring in South and South-East Asia .  Since the first recognized...

Situation at a glance Between 17 May and 12 July 2025, the Information and Public Relations Department, Government of Kerala informed through a series of official press releases about four confirmed cases , including two deaths , due to Nipah virus (NiV) infection in two districts of Kerala State.  NiV infection is a bat-borne disease transmitted to humans through infected animals (such as bats or pigs), contaminated food or, less commonly, through close contact with infected individuals.  Since 1998 NiV outbreaks have been reported in Bangladesh, India, Malaysia , the Philippines , and Singapore .  In India, NiV infections have occurred multiple times since 2001 with outbreaks in West Bengal State in 2001 and 2007, and in Kerala State regularly since 2018.  Since 2018, Kerala has reported a total of nine NiV outbreaks . While the state has a strong healthcare system and improved infection control measures since 2023, it is advisable to maintain strong preparedness a...

Abstract Nipah virus (NiV) causes a severe neurological disease in humans . The first NiV outbreak, in Malaysia , involved pig-to-human transmission , that resulted in significant economic losses to the local pig industry. Despite the risk NiV poses to pig-dense regions, no licensed vaccines exist . This study therefore assessed three NiV vaccine candidates in pigs: (1) adjuvanted soluble NiV (s)G protein, (2) adjuvanted pre-fusion stabilised NiV (mcs)F protein, and (3) adenoviral vectored NiV G (ChAdOx1 NiV G). NiV sG induced the strongest neutralising antibody response , NiV mcsF induced antibodies best able to neutralise cell-cell fusion, whereas ChAdOx1 NiV G elicited CD8+ T-cell responses. Despite differences in immunogenicity, prime-boost immunisation with all candidates conferred a high degree of protection against NiV infection. Follow-up studies demonstrated longevity of immune responses and broadly comparable immune responses in Bangladeshi pigs under field conditions. These ...

ABSTRACT The Henipavirus genus comprises five viral species, of which the prototype members, Hendra virus (HeV) and Nipah virus (NiV), are reported to infect humans. In humans and other spill-over hosts , HeV/NiV can cause severe respiratory and/or encephalitic disease , with mortality rates exceeding 50%; currently, there are no approved human vaccines and only limited therapeutic options . As members of the family Paramyxoviridae , henipaviruses have six “core” structural proteins and typically three additional accessory proteins that are expressed from the P gene. Several of these proteins are multifunctional, with roles in forming intracellular interfaces with the host (in particular, M, P, V, W, and C proteins), to modulate processes including antiviral responses, supporting viral replication. Understanding the molecular basis of these interfaces and their functions is critical to delineate the mechanisms of pathogenesis and may inform new strategies to combat infection and diseas...