Person-to-person transmission of Nipah virus in a Bangladeshi community - PubMed (original) (raw)

doi: 10.3201/eid1307.061128.

Joel M Montgomery, M Jahangir Hossain, Michael Bell, Abul Kalam Azad, Mohammed Rafiqul Islam, Mohammed Abdur Rahim Molla, Darin S Carroll, Thomas G Ksiazek, Paul A Rota, Luis Lowe, James A Comer, Pierre Rollin, Markus Czub, Allen Grolla, Heinz Feldmann, Stephen P Luby, Jennifer L Woodward, Robert F Breiman

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Person-to-person transmission of Nipah virus in a Bangladeshi community

Emily S Gurley et al. Emerg Infect Dis. 2007 Jul.

Abstract

An encephalitis outbreak was investigated in Faridpur District, Bangladesh, in April-May 2004 to determine the cause of the outbreak and risk factors for disease. Biologic specimens were tested for Nipah virus. Surfaces were evaluated for Nipah virus contamination by using reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR). Thirty-six cases of Nipah virus illness were identified; 75% of case-patients died. Multiple peaks of illness occurred, and 33 case-patients had close contact with another Nipah virus patient before their illness. Results from a case-control study showed that contact with 1 patient carried the highest risk for infection (odds ratio 6.7, 95% confidence interval 2.9-16.8, p < 0.001). RT-PCR testing of environmental samples confirmed Nipah virus contamination of hospital surfaces. This investigation provides evidence for person-to-person transmission of Nipah virus. Capacity for person-to-person transmission increases the potential for wider spread of this highly lethal pathogen and highlights the need for infection control strategies for resource-poor settings.

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Figures

Figure 1

Figure 1

Dates of illness onset during a Nipah virus outbreak in Faridpur District, Bangladesh, 2004.

Figure 2

Figure 2

Chain of person-to-person transmission with dates of onset of illness during a Nipah virus outbreak, Faridpur District, Bangladesh, 2004. Letters identify individual patients. Patients KK and II had no known contact with any ill patient before their illness.

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