CHANDIPURA VIRUS (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: The WHO has labeled the current Chandipura virus outbreak in India as the largest in 20 years. This alarming development highlights the severity and scale of the ongoing epidemic.

Chandipura Virus

• About: CHPV is a virus of the Rhabdoviridae family, which also includes other members such as the lyssavirus that causes rabies.
• CHPV Discovery: The CHPV infection was first isolated in 1965 during an investigation of a dengue/chikungunya outbreak in Maharashtra.
• Affected States: Maharashtra, Northern Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh.

oThe virus predominantly affects children under the age of 15 in rural areas. 

oDuring the 2003 outbreak in Andhra Pradesh, affected children were between 9 months and 14 years old, with most deaths occurring within 48 hours of hospital admission. 

oIn recent outbreaks, such as in Gujarat, all suspected deaths have been among children.

• Vectors: Several species of sandflies like Phlebotomine sandflies and Phlebotomus papatasi, and some mosquito species such as Aedes aegypti (which is also the vector for dengue) are considered vectors of CHPV.
• Transmission: The virus resides in the salivary gland of these insects, and can be transmitted to humans or other vertebrates like domestic animals through bites.
• Infection Progression: The infection caused by the virus can then reach the central nervous system, leading to encephalitis — inflammation of the active tissues of the brain.
• Symptoms: Fever, body ache, and headache. It may then progress to altered sensorium or seizures and encephalitis.

oAdditional Symptoms: Retrospective studies from India have also reported other symptoms such as respiratory distress, bleeding tendencies, or anaemia.

• Treatment: Currently there is no specific antiretroviral therapy or vaccine available for treatment.

oThe case fatality ratio from CHPV infection is high (56-75%), and there is no specific treatment or vaccine available.

Current Status: A total of 43 districts in India are currently reporting AES cases. Cases are sporadically present across various districts as in previous outbreaks. 

• Of the 64 confirmed cases, 61 cases have been reported from Gujarat and three from Rajasthan. A declining trend in the number of new cases of AES has been observed daily since July 19, 2024. 
• The Health Ministry reported 245 cases of acute encephalitis syndrome (AES), including 82 deaths (case fatality rate 33%). Of these, 64 are confirmed cases of Chandipura virus (CHPV) infection.