Paramyxovirus related to
Hendra (and
measles and
mumps) carried by
flying foxes in
Malaysia, and responsible for infecting
pigs there. In 1999, the virus crossed over from pigs to humans, where it killed over 100 people. With no known
vaccine or
cure, the
CDC has placed Nipah in the same class as
ebola and
AIDS.
Transmission so far is from pig to
human. Initially mistaken for a form of
Japanese encephalitis, the
virus was isolated by a
research team under the direction of Dr. Kenneth Lam Sai Kit at the University of Malaya. While infected pigs have been destroyed, Nipah can also
infect dogs,
cats, and
horses.
Source: New York Times, August 15, 2000