All FSI Projects

Reducing the risk of Nipah virus transmission in Bangladesh

Researchers

Stephen P. Luby
Investigator
John Openshaw
Investigator
Hossain Sazzad
Investigator
Rebeca Sultana
Investigator
Nazmun Nahar
Investigator
Susan Zimicki
Investigator
Emily Gurley
Investigator

Nipah virus commonly infects large fruit bats in South and Southeast Asia. It does not cause any apparent disease in bats, but when the infection spills over into humans in Bangladesh, over 75 percent of infected people die, and infected humans can pass the infection on to other people. People in Bangladesh most commonly become infected with Nipah virus by drinking raw date palm sap that has been contaminated by bats during harvest. This project involves a number of activities to better understand the circumstances contributing to Nipah transmission, including an assessment of risk that it will evolve into an organism capable of more efficient person-to-person transmission as well as developing and testing strategies to reduce the risk of transmission.

Other project-related information:

Epidemiology and prevention of human Nipah virus infection

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViZgmKA8eZk

http://woods.stanford.edu/news-events/news/bats-spreading-deadly-virus

Publications