Unveiling the WHO-Prioritized Nipah Virus: Deadly Bat-Borne Pathogen Uncovered

From May to July 2025, Kerala, India, reported four confirmed cases of Nipah virus (NiV), with two fatalities. This marks the ninth NiV outbreak in the state since 2018 and the first confirmed cases in the Palakkad district. The World Health Organization (WHO) identifies Nipah virus as a highly lethal bat-borne virus that can spread through contact with infected animals (particularly fruit bats and pigs), contaminated food, or close contact with infected individuals. No approved vaccines or specific treatments are currently available, with a case fatality rate ranging from 40% to 100%.

The Nipah virus belongs to the Paramyxoviridae family, genus Henipavirus, alongside Hendra virus (HeV). It is a negative-sense single-stranded RNA virus with a genome approximately 18.2 kb in length, encoding six structural proteins and three non-structural proteins. Its natural hosts are fruit bats of the Pteropus genus, prevalent in South and Southeast Asia. In humans, NiV can cause severe respiratory infections and acute encephalitis.

The pathogenicity of the Nipah virus primarily relies on glycoprotein-mediated receptor binding and immune evasion. The viral G protein recognizes and binds to the host cell receptors Ephrin-B2/B3, triggering a conformational change in the F protein to mediate membrane fusion, releasing the RNA genome encapsulated by the N protein into the cell. Once inside, the P protein and its derivatives (C, W, V proteins) inhibit innate immune responses by blocking interferon signaling pathways, such as JAK-STAT, creating favorable conditions for efficient viral replication and spread within the host. Additionally, the F protein induces fusion between infected and neighboring cells, forming multinucleated giant cells that enable direct cell-to-cell transmission, further evading immune clearance. In the central nervous system, the virus can cross the blood-brain barrier to infect neurons, causing encephalitis. In the respiratory system, it targets lung endothelial and parenchymal cells, leading to acute respiratory dysfunction.

Since its first outbreak in Malaysia in 1998, Nipah virus has caused near-annual winter outbreaks in Bangladesh and multiple outbreaks in India, including in West Bengal (2001, 2007) and Kerala (2018, 2023, 2024). The average case fatality rate is approximately 70%, with some outbreaks reaching 91%. The WHO has designated NiV as a priority high-fatality pathogen for research.

January 2024: The University of Oxford initiated the first human trial for the ChAdOx1 NipahB vaccine, evaluating its safety and immunogenicity.

August 2024: Phylex Biosciences in the U.S. developed an mRNA nanoparticle vaccine that induced strong neutralizing antibody responses in mice with a single dose.

August 31, 2024: Deng Zengqin's team at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, China, developed a G protein head domain nanoparticle vaccine capable of neutralizing three pathogenic henipaviruses.

July 8, 2025: The University of Queensland, Australia, developed a bispecific antibody, D590-m102.4, which provided 100% protection in hamsters when used prophylactically.

July 10, 2025: The U.S. PHV02 vaccine is preparing for Phase II clinical trials, with Phase I demonstrating safety and immunogenicity. No specific antiviral drugs or vaccines are currently approved. Diagnosis relies primarily on RT-PCR and ELISA to detect NiV nucleic acids or specific antibodies.

G protein-receptor binding interface: For designing neutralizing antibodies and small molecule inhibitors.

F protein fusion peptide region: To block viral entry.

P protein interferon antagonism domain: For developing immunomodulatory strategies.

Host receptor Ephrin-B2/B3 binding sites: To explore cross-species transmission mechanisms and predict host range.

Founded in Strasbourg, France, the abinScience brand leverages the region’s exceptional research and innovation ecosystem to focus on developing and producing high-quality life science reagents. Committed to the vision of “Empowering Bioscience Discovery”, abinScience provides efficient and reliable experimental solutions to support cutting-edge life science research worldwide. Below is a list of abinScience’s NiV-related proteins and antibodies: