What happens if you get West Nile disease?
About 1 in 5 people who are infected develop a fever with other symptoms such as headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea, or rash. Most people with febrile illness due to West Nile virus recover completely, but fatigue and weakness can last for weeks or months. Serious symptoms in a few people.
What does West Nile do to humans?
Humans get West Nile from the bite of an infected mosquito. Usually, the West Nile virus causes mild, flu-like symptoms. The virus can cause life-threatening illnesses, such as encephalitis, meningitis, or meningoencephalitis. There is no vaccine available to prevent West Nile virus.
What are the symptoms of West Nile?
Signs and symptoms of neurological infections include:
- High fever.
- Severe headache.
- Stiff neck.
- Disorientation or confusion.
- Coma.
- Tremors or muscle jerking.
- Seizures.
- Partial paralysis or muscle weakness.
Is West Nile a pandemic?
West Nile virus infection can cause serious disease. WNV is established as a seasonal epidemic in North America that flares up in the summer and continues into the fall.
Is West Nile virus treatable?
There is no specific treatment for West Nile virus (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.
What type of virus is West Nile virus?
WNV is an enveloped positive-stranded ribonucleic acid (RNA) virus belonging to the Japanese encephalitis serocomplex (Flavivirus genus, Flaviviridae family) [6].
How many have died from West Nile virus?
Cases
| Cases | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 2,149 | 106 |
| 2017 | 2,097 | 146 |
| 2018 | 2,647 | 167 |
| 2019* | 958 | 54 |
What is the prognosis of West Nile?
West Nile fever generally has an excellent prognosis. Most WNV infections (60%-75%) are asymptomatic and self-limited.
What are the symptoms of West Nile disease?
Early symptoms of West Nile virus infection include an abrupt onset of fever, chills, muscle aches, headache (may be severe), flu-like symptoms, sensitivity to light with pain behind the eyes, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, fatigue, and weakness. Most patients will recover completely.
What disease does West Nile virus cause?
West Nile Virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne virus that can cause encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) or meningitis (inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord).
How did the West Nile disease reach the US?
The West Nile virus quickly spread across the United States after the first reported cases in Queens, New York in 1999. The virus is believed to have entered in an infected bird or mosquito, although there is no clear evidence. The disease spread quickly through infected birds. Mosquitoes spread the disease to mammals. It was mainly noted in horses but also appeared in a number of other species.