Comunicação Breve junho 03, 2026 junho 03, 2026

Virus Nipah e suas manifestações oftalmológicas

DOI: 10.37039/1982.8551.20260051

Nipah virus (NiV) is a zoonotic RNA virus classified within the family Paramyxoviridae and the genus Henipavirus. It was initially discovered during an outbreak in Malaysia in 1998 and has since been associated with epidemics in various countries throughout South and Southeast Asia, frequently causing high fatality rates. Fruit bats belonging to the genus Pteropus act as the main natural reservoir, while human infection can lead to severe neurological and respiratory illnesses, representing a major public health concern.^(-)

The epidemiology of NiV is variable. In Malaysia and Singapore, transmission has been predominantly linked to infected pigs, which acted as amplifying hosts, with limited evidence of sustained human-to-human spread. In contrast, in countries such as Bangladesh and India, human infection is often associated with the consumption of date palm sap contaminated by bats and frequently involves person-to-person transmission, particularly in healthcare settings. Genetic differences between viral strains appear to influence regional transmission patterns, clinical presentation, and disease severity.^(-)

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