The West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-transmitted virus
that can cause encephalitis in some people. The West Nile virus usually
circulates between mosquitoes and birds in Africa and Europe. However, there was
an outbreak of WN encephalitis reported in New York City in 1999. Since that time the
virus has spread throughout much of the eastern United
States, and was found as close as Madison, Wisconsin and east-central Iowa last summer.
The Minnesota Department of Health states that in 2002 there is a good chance
the WNV will be found in Minnesota. Fortunately, most people who are bitten by infected
mosquitoes will experience either no symptoms, or mild illness. While the risk of
WN encephalitis to Minnesotans is small, people can do several things to protect themselves
from this virus and other mosquito-transmitted illnesses already found here.
