Are
there any complications after recovery? |
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One of the three
Hendra virus infections was marked by a delayed onset of progressive
encephalitis. Serious nervous disease with Nipah virus encephalitis
has been marked by some sequelae, such as persistent convulsions and
personality changes.
Are
the diseases ever fatal? |
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Two of the three
human patients infected with Hendra virus died. During the Nipah virus disease outbreak in 1998-99, 257 patients were infected with the virus. About 40% of those patients who entered hospitals with serious nervous disease died from the illness.
How
are Hendra virus disease and Nipah virus encephalitis treated? |
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The drug ribavirin
has been shown to be effective against the viruses in vitro. Drug investigations to date have been inconclusive and the clinical
usefulness of these drugs is uncertain.
Who
is at risk for disease from Hendra and Nipah viruses? |
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People who have
contact with body fluids or excretions of horses infected with Hendra
virus are at risk for Hendra virus disease. Nipah virus infection is
associated with close contact with Nipah virus-infected pigs. Neither
disease has spread from human to human.
How
are infections with Hendra and Nipah virus prevented? |
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These diseases
can be prevented by avoiding animals that are known to be infected and
using appropriate personal protective equipment devices when it is necessary
to come into contact with potentially infected animals.
What
needs to be done to address the threat of Hendra and Nipah viruses? |
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The distribution
of these agents in their natural reservoirs will eventually define the
geographic range of the threat the viruses pose. However, these viruses
are recent discoveries, and much work remains to be done on their geographic
distribution and the reservoir species. The occurrence of the disease
in humans has been associated only with infection of an intermediate
species such as horses with Hendra and swine with Nipah virus. Early
recognition of the disease in the intermediate animal host is probably
the most crucial means of limiting future human cases.
Suggested
Reading |
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K Murray, P Selleck,
P Hooper, et al. A morbillivirus that caused fatal disease in horses
and humans. Science 1995, 268:94-7.
JD O'Sullivan,
AM Allworth, DL Paterson, et al. Fatal encephalitis due to novel paramyxovirus
transmitted from horses. Lancet 1997, 349:93-5.
Chua KB, Goh KJ,
Wong KT, et al. Fatal encephalitis due to Nipah virus among pig-farmers
in Malaysia. Lancet 1999; 3541257-9.
Paton NI, Leo YS, Zaki SR, et al. Outbreak of Nipah-virus infection
among abattoir workers in Singapore. Lancet 1999; 3541253-6.
Lee KE, Umapathi
T, Tan CB, et al. The neurological manifestations of Nipah virus encephalitis,
a novel paramyxovirus. Ann Neurol 1999; 46428-32.
CDC, Outbreak of
Hendra-like virus—Malaysia and Singapore, 1998-1999. MMWR. Apr 9, 1999;
vol 48, no 3, 265-269.
CDC, Update: Outbreak
of Nipah virus-- Malaysia and Singapore, 1999. MMWR, Apr 30, 1999; vol
48, no 16, 335-337.