The virus causes inflammation in the brain and fever. Symptoms are similar to flu but the outcome can be deadly
The death of a four-year-old girl in Gujarat on Wednesday is the latest in a series of deaths in the state attributed to the Chandipura vesiculovirus, commonly known as the Chandipura virus, named after the small town in Maharashtra near Nagpur where it was first isolated.
Till date 29 cases of the viral infection that is a form of encephalitis where there is inflammation in the brain, have been reported in Gujarat and at least 14 other patients, state health officials suspect, may have succumbed to it. Medibulletin brings you an explainer.
What is the Chandipura virus?
Chandipura virus is a virus belonging to the Rhabdoviridae family which is so called cause of the rod-like shape of these entities. It was isolated from a resident of Nagpur in 1965 when during a dengue/chikungunya outbreak one man was suffering from fever that could not be traced to any pathogen known to medical science at that point of time. The virus has been subsequently identified from sandflies.
What are the symptoms associated with the infection?
A person infected with the virus usually presents with high fever and symptoms that can seem like flu accompanied by diarrhoea and vomitting. However the virus causes inflammation in the brain that is sometimes associated with a loss of consciousness. It usually affects children.
Why is the Chandipura virus feared?
The virus is associated with high mortality, particularly in young children. In a piece in the Indian Journal of Medical Research, scientists from the National Institute of Virology wrote in 2016: “Chandipura virus (CHPV) (Vesiculovirus: Rhabdoviridae) garnered global attention as an emerging neurotropic pathogen inflicting high mortality in children within 24 h of commencement of symptoms. The 2003-2004 outbreaks in Central India witnessed case fatality rates ranging from 56-75 per cent in Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat with typical encephalitic symptoms. Due to the acute sickness and rapid deterioration, the precise mechanism of action of the virus is still unknown.”
How is the viral infection treated?
No antivirals are available specifically for the Chandipura virus. Treatment is usually symptomatic with doctors focussing on keeping the fever at bay and treatment the vomiting etc with appropriate medication.
