Here are five essential facts about Nipah virus, a serious zoonotic pathogen

Nipah virus (NiV) is an animal-borne disease capable of spreading from animals to people through tainted food or close personal contact. In humans, it produces a broad array of symptoms—from silent infections with no outward signs to severe lung complications and deadly brain inflammation. The pathogen also triggers serious sickness in farm animals like pigs, creating major financial setbacks for the farming industry.

1. Infected individuals may experience everything from completely silent (subclinical) infections to life-threatening breathing problems and fatal brain swelling.

2. The virus kills an estimated 40 to 75 percent of those who become sick, though this percentage fluctuates widely depending on how effectively local health systems can detect cases and provide treatment.

3. People typically catch the virus through exposure to sick animals (especially bats or swine) or by eating contaminated products. Direct spread between humans has been confirmed as well.

4. The disease’s natural home is in fruit bats belonging to the Pteropodidae family, which carry the virus without becoming ill themselves.

5. The World Health Organization has designated Nipah virus as a top-priority pathogen for research and development. A 2018 assessment highlighted the critical need for faster scientific progress against this threat.