The Emergence of Nipah Virus in Malaysia: The Role of Pteropus Bats as Hosts and Agricultural Expansion as a Key Factor for Zoonotic Spillover

摘要

Nipah virus (NiV) emerged in Malaysia in 1998 as a respiratory and neurologic disease in pigs and caused a severe febrile encephalitis in humans, carrying a 40% mortality rate (n?=?265). Bats of the genus Pteropus are considered a natural reservoir for Nipah virus and other related henipaviruses. We proposed two hypotheses for NiV emergence: 1) Nipah virus is endemic and circulating in pteropid bats throughout Malaysia and these bats normally occurred in the area of the index farm where Nipah virus emerged; and 2) the intensification of pig farms in Malaysia enabled sustained NiV epidemics to occur in pigs, facilitating NiV emergence in humans.