What is it?

The West Nile Virus is a virus that has been commonly found in birds, humans, and other vertebrates in Africa, Eastern Europe, West Asia, and the Middle East. Since 1999, scientists from the Center for Disease Control has documented its existence in the United States.

How is it transmitted (or how does one catch it)?

Humans can get the virus from a bite of an infected mosquito. If symptoms are to develop, they will occur 3 to 15 days after a mosquito bite.

What are the symptoms?

Most bites from an infected mosquito will cause few (if any) symptoms or problems.

A mild, self limiting reaction may include:

• Fever
• Headache
• Body aches
• Skin rashes
• Swollen lymph nodes

A more severe reaction (RARE) is marked by:

• Severe headache
• High fever
• Stiff neck
• Change in behavior
• Seizures
• Paralysis
• Rarely: death

How likely is a severe reaction?

LESS THAN ONE PERCENT of individuals will develop severe disease; persons older than 50 years have the highest risk of developing a severe illness. Of those who develop a severe illness, the mortality rate ranges from 3 to 15 percent with the highest rates among the elderly.

What can be done to decrease the chance of infection?

Prevention requires reducing the number of mosquito bites. This includes:

• Eliminate standing water sources from around your home (as this is the breeding areas for mosquitoes)
• Wear insect repellent (for children over 20 pounds use repellents containing less than 10% DEET - such as Skintastic or Repel)
• Wear long sleeves and pants when outdoors
• Stay indoors during peak mosquito hours (dusk, dawn, and early evening).

For more information, go to the CDC website by clicking here.

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