Dr. Jiruj Summarizes Nipah Virus in 6 Points, Advises Prevention Methods—No Vaccine Yet

Dr. Jiruj summarizes the understanding of the Nipah virus (NiV) in 6 points: symptoms resemble the flu, no specific vaccine or treatment exists yet, and he advises on symptoms to monitor and prevention methods.

On 24 January 2026, Dr. Jiruj Chomchoey, a pediatric respiratory specialist, posted a summary about the Nipah virus (NiV). He summarized it in 6 points.

He stated that, following news of five continuous Nipah virus infections and over 100 people quarantined in India, he would like to provide a basic summary about this virus as follows.

1. What is this virus?

It is an RNA virus from the Paramyxoviridae family, Henipavirus genus (the same group as the Hendra virus).

2. Reservoir and transmission

• Natural carriers: fruit bats (also known as flying foxes).
• Transmission to humans: via contact with bat saliva or urine contaminating fruit or raw palm sap, or through intermediate animals such as pigs.
• Human-to-human transmission: can occur through contact with bodily fluids or close contact with infected patients.

3. Pathogenesis (disease mechanism) The virus causes inflammation of blood vessels throughout the body, leading to tissue damage, encephalitis, and severe pneumonia.

4. Symptoms to watch for

• Early stage: flu-like symptoms including fever, severe headache, muscle aches, and sore throat.
• Severe stage: dizziness, confusion, seizures, difficulty breathing, and possible coma (with a high mortality rate).

5. Prevention (most important)

• Currently, no vaccine or specific treatment exists.
• Avoid contact with bats and pigs in risk areas.
• Do not eat fruit that has fallen to the ground or shows bite marks, and avoid drinking raw palm sap.
• Maintain hygiene by washing hands frequently with soap and strictly follow infection control measures in hospitals.

6. Update on the situation in India (as of January 2026)

Recent outbreak hotspots are in West Bengal and Kerala states.

He emphasized that there have been no cases reported in Thailand yet. The basic reproduction number (R0) of the Nipah virus is estimated at about 0.48 (average less than 1). For comparison, COVID-19 is 9.5, RSV is 3, and influenza is 1.3, indicating a much lower transmission rate.

#DrJiruj Knowledge: R0 means the average number of people one infected individual can transmit the virus to, assuming no immunity and no preventive measures.