ABSTRACT
Nipah virus (NiV) is a bat-borne paramyxovirus that causes disease in both humans and animals. The rst recorded outbreak of NiV infection occurred in Malaysia from September 1998 to May 1999 [1]. The disease was named after Kampung Sungai Nipah (Nipah River Village), where the rst viral isolate was obtained. Retrospective investigations suggested that NiV was responsible for sporadic diseases in pigs in Peninsular Malaysia since late 1996 but was not recognized as the clinical signs, morbidity, and mortality were not markedly different from those of several endemic pig diseases [2].
