Here’s a breakdown of the provided text, focusing on the key information about Nipah virus and the vaccine development:
What is Nipah Virus?
Origin: First emerged during a major outbreak in Malaysia in 1998-99.
Impact in Malaysia: Caused the culling of nearly half the country’s pig population and significant economic losses.
Spread: Has as surfaced repeatedly in South and Southeast Asia, particularly in Bangladesh and India.
Transmission in Humans:
Human-to-human transmission.
Consumption of contaminated food (e.g., date palm sap).
Symptoms:
Usually begins wiht flu-like symptoms. Can rapidly worsen to coma and death.
Can cause encephalitis (brain inflammation) and respiratory complications.
Severity: Poses a significant threat to public and animal health.
Designation: Designated a priority disease by the WHO and a priority pathogen by the UK Health Security Agency due to its severity and epidemic potential.
Current Status: No licensed vaccines or treatments are currently available for pigs or humans.
New Vaccine Development:
Goal: To prevent Nipah virus transmission thru pigs,a primary transmission route.
Researchers: A collaborative team from the UK, Australia, and Bangladesh, led by The pirbright Institute.
Publication: The study was published in npj Vaccines.
Vaccine Candidates: Three experimental vaccine candidates where created using different viral surface proteins.
One candidate used the same viral vector platform as the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
Testing:
Immunogenicity: Evaluated in mice and pigs to assess their ability to trigger an immune response.
Protective Potential: Tested in pigs.
Field Trials: Conducted in ‘backyard’ pigs in the ‘Nipah belt’ region of Bangladesh under real-world conditions.
Results:
All three vaccine candidates successfully protected pigs from Nipah virus infection.
The strength of the immune response varied,but all demonstrated effective immunity in pigs under real-world conditions.
Impact and Next steps:
Importance: Preventing Nipah outbreaks in pigs can mitigate human infections, protect economies, public health, and food security.
Future Plans: The team is collaborating with German partners to develop a cost-effective dual vaccine that protects pigs against both Nipah virus and a common swine disease. This combines pandemic preparedness with practical benefits for farmers.
Key Concept Highlighted:
‘One Health’ Approach: The research underscores the critical need for an integrated approach that recognizes the interconnection between the health of animals, humans, and ecosystems in addressing emerging high-threat diseases.
