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| Medical Advice |
| What are the symptoms of West Nile Virus? |
| The majority of people who contract the West Nile virus will remain asymptomatic (no symptoms) or will complain of mild symptoms such as headache, fever, body aches and occasionally skin rash and swollen lymph glands within 3 to 15 days of being bitten. In the less than 1% of people who become severely ill with West Nile encephalitis the symptoms may include headache, high fever, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, paralysis, coma, and rarely, death. In these cases, the virus multiplies within the person's blood, eventually crossing the blood-brain barrier. Once it reaches the brain, it interferes with normal central nervous system functioning causing the inflammation of the brain tissue known as encephalitis. Fatality rates range from 3% to 15%. Those most at risk include persons 50 years of age or older. Last year the peak onset of infection occured in mid-August and declined after the first week of September. Immunity: "Experts assume" that most people who contract the virus will develop a lifelong immunity to it, but this is not proven. |
| WEST NILE VIRUS |
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| What is West Nile Virus? |
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| West Nile Virus is primarily a disease of wild birds. The virus is a flavivirus commonly found in Africa, West Asia, and the Middle East. It was first isolated in a febrile woman in Uganda in 1937. CDC officials believe it first entered the U.S. on the East coast in around 1999 possibly through the importation of infected birds or mosquitoes or the migration of infected birds. The strain is genetically related to strains whose origin is in the Middle East. It is also closely related to the St. Louis form of the virus found in the U.S. The vector of transmission of the virus includes birds, mosquitoes, humans, and animals. The West Nile virus is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes that have come in contact with an infected host. The infected mosqitoes hold the virus in their salivary glands and transmit the disease while biting humans or animals during blood feeding. Mosquitoes that carry the virus are the nighttime biting mosquitoes. This means prevention is best by staying indoors at dust and just before sunrise and to apply mosquito repellant if you have to be out at that time. Mosquitoes breed in water, so homeowners should overturn containers of water like birdbaths, unused wading pools, buckets, and tires. Repair all malfunctioning septic systems that discharge to the surface. Stock ornamental pools with fish like bluegills or sunfish that feed on mosquito larvae and pupae. |
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