How is West Nile virus prevented?
Mosquitoes bite during the day and night. There is no vaccine to prevent WNV infection. The best way to prevent West Nile is to protect yourself from mosquito bites. Use insect repellent, wear long-sleeved shirts and pants, treat clothing and gear, and take steps to control mosquitoes indoors and outdoors.
What types of control measures have been used to manage West Nile Virus?
Personal protective measures include use of mosquito repellents, wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants, and limiting outdoor exposure from dusk to dawn. Using air conditioning, installing window and door screens, and reducing mosquito breeding sites around the home, can further decrease the risk for WNV exposure.
Is there a cure or vaccine for West Nile virus?
No vaccine or specific medicines are available for West Nile virus infection. In severe cases, patients often need to be hospitalized to receive supportive treatment, such as intravenous fluids, pain medication, and nursing care.
What kills West Nile virus?
There is no specific treatment for West Nile virus infection. Mild illness does not require therapy other than medication to reduce fever and pain. When West Nile infects the brain, intensive supportive therapy is needed.
Why is there no treatment for West Nile?
Health officials think the organ donor acquired the virus through a blood transfusion. All blood is screened for the virus. The risk for getting West Nile virus from blood is much lower than the risk of not having any procedure that would call for a blood transfusion.
What is the treatment for West Nile virus?
Treatment There is no specific treatment for WNV disease; clinical management is supportive. Patients with severe meningeal symptoms often require pain control for headaches and antiemetic therapy and rehydration for associated nausea and vomiting.
How is the West Nile virus spread from person to person?
West Nile virus (WNV) is spread to people through the bite of an infected mosquito. Mosquitoes bite during the day and night. There is no vaccine to prevent WNV infection. The best way to prevent West Nile is to protect yourself from mosquito bites.
Can a positive IgM test for West Nile virus?
WNV Antibody Testing. Therefore, positive IgM antibodies occasionally may reflect a past infection. If serum is collected within 8 days of illness onset, the absence of detectable virus-specific IgM does not rule out the diagnosis of WNV infection, and the test may need to be repeated on a later sample.
How long do symptoms of West Nile Virus Last?
Most people with this type of West Nile virus disease recover completely, but fatigue and weakness can last for weeks or months. Serious symptoms in a few people.