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Summary
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Nipah virus, a member of the Paramyxoviridae, causes lethal outbreaks in Malaysia and Singapore between 1998 and 1999 in both human and pig populations. Since then, new outbreaks have been documented sporadically in Bangladesh and northeastern India, resulting in high fatality. During the Bangladesh and Indian outbreaks, human-to-human and food-borne transmission has been confirmed. These outbreaks have been associated with certain species of fruit bats serving as asymptomatic Nipah virus carriers. Pig, cat, dog, and a variety of bat species have been proved to be infected naturally with Nipah virus. For experimental animals, infection with this virus has been established in guinea pig, golden hamster, African green monkey, squirrel monkey, and ferret models.
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