Xueting Zhang, Jiajia Zheng, Qile He, Yuhan Xu, Hua Ji, Shibo Jiang, Naru Zhang
Nipah virus (NiV) is a highly pathogenic zoonotic agent, posing a persistent and severe threat to global public health with a mortality rate as high as 40% to 80%. With its high risk of cross-species transmission, strong cell tropism, and immune evasion capabilities, NiV has been listed as a priority surveillance pathogen by WHO. Currently, no approved antiviral drugs, immunotherapies, or commercial vaccines are available to combat NiV. This review systematically reviews the core research aspects of NiV, beginning with its viral structure and pathogenic mechanisms, summarizes the progress and breakthroughs in vaccine development, addresses current research limitations to guide future research directions, and provides theoretical support for the precise prevention and control of NiV.