This post will discuss some of the basic things we need to know about Nipah, written in the wake of the rising death toll in Kerala, India. There will be a follow-up post soon discussing other aspects of the disease as it is important to know the nuances of the disease. Mode of transmission : Earlier when the disease had surfaced in Singapore and Malaysia, humans were only infected via contact with pigs, who in turn had contracted it from bats. But subsequent infections in Bangladesh and India have regularly been transmitted from person to person as well as direct contact with bats. Incubation period : 5 to 14 days (this is the amount of time it takes for the disease to show symptoms from the time of exposure) Signs and symptoms : The infection is associated with inflammation of the brain(also known as encephalitis).Incubation period follows 3-14 days of fever and headache, followed by drowsiness, disorientation and mental confusion. The infected may become comatose...