An Updated Review on Nipah Virus Infection with a Focus on Encephalitis, Vasculitis, and Therapeutic Approaches

Nipah virus (NiV), a member of the Paramyxoviridae family, has gained global attention owing to its high mortality rate and destructive potential. NiV has a Biosafety Level 4 (BSL-4) rating and has repeatedly precipitated devastating outbreaks associated with severe respiratory infections, often accompanied by encephalitis and systemic vasculitis. Several studies have been conducted to understand the mechanisms involved in its pathogenesis and to effectively produce new medications to treat this zoonotic virus. However, the cruelty of NiV and its propensity to elude existing treatments underscores the need to elucidate better therapeutics to manage NiV infection more effectively. Therefore, this review highlights the fundamental mechanisms involved in the etiology of NiV, specifically fatal encephalitis and systemic vasculitis. Furthermore, this study investigated promising therapeutic strategies to mitigate the clinical consequences of NiV infections.