Dr. T

...of future spillover events. Therefore, improved strategies for safe agricultural and farming practices that minimize contact between livestock and fruit bats are urgently needed. (end)

Furthermore, because increased contact between animal species and humans is a major driver of cross‑species transmission, environmental and ecological changes, particularly those resulting from human encroachment into wildlife habitats, may heighten the likelihood... 17/18

This high fatality rate – combined with the virus’s potential for human‑to‑human transmission and the lack of approved vaccines or targeted treatments, makes Nipah virus a significant public health concern. 16/18

The virus is highly lethal, as demonstrated by a 2011 outbreak in Southeast Asia that resulted in 211 deaths among 280 reported cases – corresponding to a case fatality rate of approximately 75%. 15/

...affecting the lungs, kidneys, and brain, and often causing severe respiratory illness and encephalitis. 14/

...nucleocapsid proteins. Nipah virus infects primarily epithelial cells of the respiratory tract, endothelial cells lining blood vessels, and neurons in the central nervous system. As a result, infection frequently leads to widespread systemic disease, prominently... 13/

Nipah virus particles are encased in a lipid membrane and can have a filamentous or spherical shape generally measuring 120-150 nm in diameter. The viral genome is composed of a single-stranded, negative-sense RNA molecule that is tightly associated with... 12/

...in many South Asian communities, yet public awareness of the associated health risks remains limited. Fruit bats frequently contaminate sap collection sites with their saliva, urine, or feces, while feeding on the exposed sap. 11/

The deadly drink: Nipah virus transmission through date palm sap, cultural practices and the evolution of behavioral interventions in Bangladesh over two decades Nipah virus (NiV) has emerged as a significant public health threat, with recurring outbreaks in Bangladesh often linked to the consumption of raw dat…

...saliva, or urine. Consumption of fruit or fruit‑derived products contaminated with bat excretions also contributes to transmission. In particular, drinking raw date palm sap carries deep cultural significance... 10/

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Transmission of Nipah virus happens most commonly from animals to humans, through direct contact. Nevertheless, the virus can also spread from one person to another, typically during exposure to the bodily fluids of an infected individual, including respiratory secretions... 9/

...among species of the Pteropus genus, commonly known as “flying foxes.” These bats shed Nipah virus in their saliva, urine, and feces, thereby contaminating local fruit or palm sap that may subsequently be consumed by humans or by intermediate animal hosts. 8/

As a member of the Paramyxoviridae family, Nipah virus is related to other clinically important viruses like measles virus, mumps virus, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Nipah virus circulates in fruit bats across Asia, the South Pacific and Australia, especially... 7/

Viruses and Bats | Virology Blog by Gertrud U. Rey Remember the series of flashbacks in the ending of the movie “Contagion,” which reveal where the virus originated and how the pandemic sta ...

As outlined in an earlier post on the role of bats as reservoirs for high‑risk pathogens, fruit bats can harbor a variety of viruses with the potential to emerge in human populations. 6/

virology.ws/2023/10/05/v...

This scenario reflects a well‑recognized pattern of zoonotic spillover, in which viruses maintained in wildlife populations cross into humans through intermediate animal hosts. 5/

The leading hypothesis for its emergence is that the virus spilled over from infected fruit bats to pigs when pig-farming operations expanded into areas inhabited by bats. Pigs exposed to bat‑contaminated material became infected and subsequently transmitted the virus to farmers. 4/

These developments raise an important question: What is Nipah virus, and is it a cause for concern?

Nipah virus transmission cycle. Image created in BioRender.
Nipah virus was first identified in 1998 in Malaysia, during an outbreak that affected both pigs and humans. 3/

Recent news reports have confirmed two cases of Nipah virus infection in West Bengal, India. In response, authorities have quarantined nearly 200 individuals and expanded surveillance efforts both in neighboring countries and among travelers arriving from India. 2/

Nipah Virus | Virology Blog by Gertrud U. Rey Recent news reports have confirmed two cases of Nipah virus infection in West Bengal, India. In response, authorities have quarantined nea ...

What is #Nipah virus and is it a cause for concern?

A 🧵, also at virology blog. 1/

virology.ws/2026/02/05/n...

YouTube video by Trudy Rey, PhD Catch This Episode 74 - Why We Vaccinate Newborns Against Hepatitis B

Catch This Episode 74! In this video I explain why we vaccinate newborns against hepatitis B.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=VD8a...

...to disease resurgence, as seen with the recent re-emergence of measles. We must prevent further deterioration of public health infrastructure to avoid backslides in global health and the return of previously controlled diseases. (end)

Successful vaccination programs are often described as “victims of their own success,” because they render diseases rare and foster complacency, denial, and reliance on individual experiences over collective history. This erosion of awareness increases vulnerability... 22/23

...with HBV each year. Since the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended newborn vaccination in 1991, HBV infections among children have declined by 99%. 21/

Globally, an estimated 300 million people live with chronic HBV infection, and up to 1 million die annually from hepatitis B – despite the fact that it is preventable and treatable. Before universal birth-dose vaccination, approximately 20,000 U.S. children were infected... 20/

...and found no association between aluminum-containing vaccines and 50 chronic health conditions, including autism, asthma, and autoimmunity. 19/

Aluminum-Adsorbed Vaccines and Chronic Diseases in Childhood: A Nationwide Cohort Study: Annals of Internal Medicine: Vol 178, No 10 Background: Aluminum is used as an adjuvant in nonlive vaccines administered in early childhood. Concerns persist about potential associations between vaccination with aluminum-adsorbed vaccines and i...

These conclusions are supported by a recent nationwide Danish cohort study, which tracked 1.2 million children over 24 years... 18/

www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/...

Adverse events after immunisation with aluminium-containing DTP vaccines: systematic review of the evidence - PubMed We have reviewed evidence of adverse events after exposure to aluminium-containing vaccines against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP), alone or in combination, compared with identical vaccines, either without aluminium or containing aluminium in different concentrations. The study is a system …

...adverse events. 17/

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14871632/

Updated aluminum pharmacokinetics following infant exposures through diet and vaccination Aluminum is a ubiquitous element that is released naturally into the environment via volcanic activity and the breakdown of rocks on the earth's surfa…

...serious... 16/

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Blood and Hair Aluminum Levels, Vaccine History, and Early Infant Development: A Cross-Sectional Study - PubMed Infant B-Al and H-Al varied considerably but did not correlate with their immunization history. Likewise, there was no correlation between B-Al and infant development or between H-Al and language or cognitive development. An inverse correlation between H-Al and BSID motor scores deserves further inv …

...or other... 15/

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28919482/

Aluminum and vaccines: Current state of knowledge French people have never been so wary about vaccines. The use of aluminum salts in vaccine adjuvants to enhance effectiveness is one of the major reas…

...neurodevelopmental disorders... 14/

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Evidence Refuting the Existence of Autoimmune/Autoinflammatory Syndrome Induced by Adjuvants (ASIA) - PubMed Autoimmune/autoinflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA) was described in 2011. Over time the condition and its triggers have broadened to include several autoimmune disorders, the macrophagic myofasciitis syndrome, the Gulf war syndrome, the sick building syndrome, siliconosis, and the chro …

Extensive evidence shows no link between aluminum in early childhood vaccines and autoimmune diseases... 13/

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28888842/