Nipah virus antibodies found in Indian bats in Mahabaleshwar cave

Researchers have found the presence of antibodies against the Nipah virus in some bat species from a cave in Mahabaleshwar. The research survey was jointly conducted by the ICMR* and the National Institute of Virology. The survey was done for studying the spread of Nipah Virus(NiV) in Indian bat species. Two bat species Leschenault's rousette and common pipistrelle were trapped by researchers using mist nets. Blood, throat, and rectal swab samples were collected onsite from anaesthetised bats. Researchers found both the virus and antibodies in these bat species. India has witnessed four episodes of NiV outbreaks with case fatality rate ranging from 65% to 100%. The first NiV outbreak was reported in Siliguri district, West Bengal in 2001. An outbreak reported in Calicut district, Kerala in 2018 killed 18 people, followed by another outbreak in the state in 2019. Southern East Asian countries and some Indian states have been identified as potential hotspots for the NiV disease. NiV is one of the top-10 priority list pathogens identified by the World Health Organization. As of now, there are no medicines or vaccines for the Nipah virus disease.