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Dr. Akumnaro Jamir, right, speaks during a demonstration.[/caption]
Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, May 26: Faith Hospital at Dimapur conducted a seminar on “Nipah virus and hospital preparedness” on Sat. May 26 at its seminar hall.
Addressing on ‘treatment and management,’ the consultant of MD (Internal Medicine) Faith Hospital, Dr. Akumnaro Jamir said the virus synonyms are barking pig syndrome, porcine respiratory and neurologic syndrome, and encephalitis syndrome. The incubation period is 4-18 days.
As per the case definition of suspected Nipah case, Dr. Jamir said high grade fever with acute onset of altered mental stress or seizure or headache or acute onset of cough with shortness of breath is developed and the Probable Nipah case develops death within 14 days of onset of illness of suspect cases.
In the presentation, Jamir specified “the classical form was acute and rapidly progressive encephalitis with or without respiratory involvement in all age groups. The Nipah encephalitis presents with 3-14 days of fever and headache, followed by drowsiness, disorientation and mental confusion. The acute encephalitis then progresses to coma within 24-48 hours with high mortality rate. The respiratory involvement consists of non-productive cough during the early part of the disease which can evolve later to severe acute lower respiratory disease, i.e. from breathing difficulties to Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) “.
Dr. Jamir informed that the treatment drug called ‘ribavirin’ has shown to be effective. “There is no specific treatment beyond supportive care because Nipah virus encephalitis can be transmitted person to person. Under trials with antiviral drug ribavirin as the drug has shown to be effective against the viruses in vitro but human investigations to date have been inconclusive and the clinical usefulness o ribavirin remains uncertain”, she maintained.
The recommended action was to immediately notify authorities, for federal to notify Area Veterinarian in Charge (AVIC), and for state- state veterinarian.
The universal precautions for Nipah virus infection can be prevented by avoiding exposure to sick pigs and bats in epidemic areas and not drinking raw date palm sap.