ETIDIOH - NEW

Highlights •  Systematic and routine monitoring antigenic drift and shift of AIV in wild birds and poultry is needed. •  Community-based surveillance is key for improving NiV case detection. •  Integrated surveillance across One Health sectors is required. •  Lab upgrades to BSL-3 are needed for enhanced biosafety and diagnostics. Abstract Nipah and avian influenza viruses (NiV and AIV) are priority zoonotic pathogens in Bangladesh and are also important globally because of their pandemic potential . To understand current strengths, areas for improvement, and opportunities to enhance preparedness for NiV and AIV in Bangladesh, as part of the USAID STOP Spillover program , 47 relevant stakeholders were surveyed, and two country leads of the primary surveillance systems were interviewed. Data was collected focusing on four different areas: research projects, surveillance systems, laboratories, and outbreak risk management systems. Despite progress in recent years, our ...

Abstract Nipah virus, a zoonotic pathogen, can cause debilitating disease and death in humans. Currently, countermeasures are limited , with several in various stages of testing but none yet FDA-approved for human use. Evaluation of countermeasure candidates requires safety testing in humans, as well as efficacy testing against lethal challenge in animal models . Herein, we describe the characterization and comparison of the intraperitoneal and intranasal Syrian golden hamster models for Nipah virus strains Malaysia and Bangladesh . Overall, the intraperitoneal route of exposure resulted in a more consistent lethal outcome, regardless of virus strain. Therefore, the IP model was subsequently used to evaluate the use of Favipiravir as a potential positive control for future studies investigating NiV countermeasures. In contrast to prior reported results regarding Favipiravir in Nipah virus-infected hamsters, Favipiravir was only fifty percent effective at preventing death following leth...

Abstract Henipaviruses, such as Hendra and Nipah viruses, are major zoonotic pathogens that cause encephalitis and respiratory infections in humans and animals . The recent emergence of Langya virus in China highlights the need to understand henipavirus host diversity and geographic spread to prevent future outbreaks. Our analysis of the National Center for Biotechnology Information Virus and VIRION databases revealed ≈1,117 henipavirus sequences and 142 complete genomes. Bats (64.7%) and shrews (11.7%) dominated the host species record, and the genera Pteropus and Crocidura contained key henipavirus hosts in Asia, Australia, and Africa . Henipaviruses found in the Eidolon bat genus exhibited the highest within-host genetic distance. Phylogenetic analysis revealed batborne and rodent- or shrew-derived henipaviruses diverged ≈11,000 years ago and the first known lineage originating in Eidolon genus bats ≈9,900 years ago. Pathogenic henipaviruses diverged from their ancestors 2,800–1,200...

Summary The 2024 Nipah outbreak in Kerala, India —its fifth in six years—and the recurring annual outbreaks in Bangladesh underscore the persistent threat posed by the Nipah virus (NiV) in the region. With a high mortality rate, human-to-human transmission potential , and the widespread presence of Pteropus bats , the natural reservoir, NiV remains a significant epidemic threat . Despite being a WHO priority pathogen , there has been no systematic effort to improve patient care for NiVD, leading to consistently poor outcomes . Current care relies on supportive measures and the ‘ compassionate use ’ of unapproved drugs like ribavirin and remdesivir . Drugs used ‘off-label’ during outbreaks can become the ‘standard of care’ without robust evidence of their safety or efficacy, complicating the testing of new therapies and perpetuating uncertainty about their true effectiveness. To improve NiVD care, we propose four key strategies: 1) Enhance early case detection , 2) optimize supportive c...