Clinical Features of Nipah Virus Encephalitis among Pig Farmers in Malaysia

• Published in: The New England journal of medicine Vol. 342; no. 17; pp. 1229 - 1235
• Main Authors: Goh, Khean Jin, Tan, Patrick Seow Koon, Tan, Chong Tin, Chew, Nee Kong, Kamarulzaman, Adeeba, Sarji, Sazilah Ahmad, Wong, Kum Thong, Abdullah, Basri Johan Jeet, Chua, Kaw Bing, Lam, Sai Kit
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Massachusetts Medical Society 27.04.2000
• Subjects: Adult; Animal Husbandry; Animals; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Antibodies, Viral - cerebrospinal fluid; Cerebrospinal Fluid - chemistry; Cerebrospinal Fluid - immunology; Disease Outbreaks - statistics & numerical data; Electroencephalography; Encephalitis; Encephalitis, Viral - epidemiology; Encephalitis, Viral - mortality; Encephalitis, Viral - physiopathology; Encephalitis, Viral - virology; Female; Hogs; Humans; Logistic Models; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Malaysia; Malaysia - epidemiology; Male; Nervous System Diseases - etiology; Nipah virus; NMR; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Paramyxoviridae Infections - complications; Paramyxoviridae Infections - epidemiology; Paramyxoviridae Infections - mortality; Paramyxoviridae Infections - physiopathology; Paramyxovirinae - immunology; pigs; Recurrence; Swine; Malaysia; Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
• ISSN: 0028-4793; 1533-4406
• DOI: 10.1056/NEJM200004273421701

Between September 1998 and June 1999, there was an outbreak of febrile encephalitis in several pig-farming villages in Malaysia. More than 200 patients were admitted to hospitals nationwide, many of whom died. 1 – 3 The pig-farming industry was disrupted by the culling of many pigs to control the outbreak and the closing of farms. Several abattoir workers in neighboring Singapore were also affected. 4 , 5 Japanese encephalitis, a viral encephalitis associated with pigs that is endemic in Southeast Asia, was initially suspected, but clinical and epidemiologic features suggested that a different disease was responsible. The isolation of a new paramyxovirus, subsequently named . . .