NiV is a paramyxovirus that emerged in people in Malaysia in 1998 [7 -9] . Serology, virus isolation and polymerase chain reaction detection indicate that NiV is maintained in Pteropus spp. fruit bats (flying foxes), including P. vampyrus and P. hypomelanus in peninsular Malaysia [10] [11] [12] . Transmission from flying foxes to pigs is thought to occur via saliva on fomites (discarded fruit pulp) or via faecal or urine contamination of pigsties [11] . Pigs act as amplifier hosts, enabling infection of humans via droplet transmission during respiratory infections [13] . The risk of direct transmission from bats to humans in Malaysia is believed to be low [14] .