Pandemic potential of henipaviruses

Abstract

Introduction and purpose. Hendra and Nipah are two highly dangerous zoonotic viruses belonging to the group of henipaviruses. Although they have been known for more than 20 years, no human drug or vaccine has been invented for them. The aim of this paper is to describe the epidemiology of the reported paramyxoviruses, the pandemic potential of henipaviruses and a standardised action plan to counter their spread. This paper is a review of scientific articles from 2012-2023 published in the scientific databases such as Pubmed, Researchgate and Google Scholar. The following keywords were used: pandemic potential of henipaviruses, Hendra virus, Nipah virus, henipavirus epidemics. Description of the state of knowledge. The mortality rate of henipaviruses varies between 50-100%. The Nipah virus is particularly dangerous, with epidemics recurring virtually every year in Asia since 1998. The Hendra virus situation is more manageable because there is an effective vaccine for horses, which are most vulnerable to infection. Through anthropogenic changes, the terrain and climate where the animals that are the reservoir of the virus are found are changing. Due to the numerous outbreaks of henipaviruses in areas of Asia and Australia, great care is being taken to quickly neutralise the outbreaks that occur. Conclusions. Due to the high pandemic threat from henipaviruses, more research into drugs and vaccines is required. It is also important to develop effective bio-assurance plans, introduce controls on their operation and educate the population on the issue. Reservoir animals, through anthropogenic changes in the environment, are changing habitats and feeding sites, making more and more territories vulnerable to the disease. New species of henipaviruses are emerging all the time, posing an epizootic challenge to public health, so a key action is to increase the amount of research into the epidemic development of the virus and to conduct it as widely as possible.