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West Nile Virus

 


West Nile virus (WNV) is most commonly spread to people by the bite of an infected mosquito.

In humans, disease ranges from asymptomatic infection, seen frequently, to encephalitis/paralysis and death, seen rarely. 

Symptoms

No symptoms in most people. Most infected individuals  (8 out of 10) do not experience any symptoms.

Fever: About 1 in 5 infected individuals have a fever with other mild symptoms such as rash, headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, and diarrhea

Serious symptoms  About 1 in 150 infected individuals develop a severe illness affecting the central nervous system such as encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) or meningitis (inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord)

  • About 1 out of 10  people who develop severe illness affecting the central nervous system die.

You can reduce your risk of WNV by wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants, masks, gloves and goggles to prevent mosquito bites.

Diagnostic testing:

Laboratory diagnosis is generally accomplished by testing of serum or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for WNV-specific IgM antibodies.

WNV-specific IgM antibodies are usually found 3 to 8 days after onset of illness and sometimes can be detected for upto 90 days or longer. Therefore, positive IgM antibodies sometimes may reflect a past infection.

Viral RNA (e.g., reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction [RT-PCR]) can be performed on serum, CSF, and tissue specimens that are collected early in the course of infection.

Treatment:

  • Over-the-counter Acetaminophen, NSAIDS, other pain relievers can be used to reduce fever and relieve some symptoms
  • In severe cases, supportive treatment, such as intravenous fluids, pain medication, and nursing care is needed.

There is no FDA (Food and Drug Administration)-approved vaccine for human use, and the only recommended treatment is supportive care.

Comments

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