Nipah virus: An immunological wake-up call for global health systems

Nipah virus (NiV) is a highly lethal zoonotic pathogen that continues to re-emerge, as highlighted by recent confirmed cases in India. Although available studies suggest that the virus can disrupt innate immune signaling and induce humoral and cellular immune responses, the immunopathogenesis of human infection remains insufficiently understood. The absence of clearly defined immune correlates of protection limits effective preparedness and leaves outbreak responses largely reactive. This article argues that the primary bottleneck in NiV preparedness lies not in surveillance capacity, but in the lack of immunological frameworks that enable proactive outbreak response.