|
Last Updated: Jun 30, 2008 - 11:14:37 AM |
Editor's note: 5 human West Nile virus (WNV) cases have been identified from the following California counties: Kern (2), Stanislaus (1), San Joaquin (1), and Sutter (1). In an the earlier update, one case was reported in Kern County.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Once again, the West Nile virus (WNV) seems less active this year. As of July 21, 2006, at least 20 human cases of West Nile virus infection have been reported to the Centers for the Disease Control and Prevention and state health agencies. The states where human cases were reported include California, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Texas.
As of July 11, ten human cases of West Nile virus had been reported to the CDC. The cases were reported from Kern County (1), California; Brown County (1), South Dakota; Platte County (1) and Saline County (1), Nebraska; Marion County (1), Iowa; Jasper County (1), Missouri, Weld County (1) Colorado; Copiah County (1) Mississippi; and Dallas County (1) and Harris County (1), Texas.
As of July 18, new human cases of West Nile virus have been reported in Idaho, Mississippi, Kansas, South Dakota, according to the CDC. But states have received reports of more human cases of West Nile virus. So far, the CDC has not received any report of death from the WNV infection.
In Idaho, a 40-something woman in Owyhee County was confirmed to be positive for West Nile virus. The woman is recovering. This is the first human case in the state. In comparison, The WNV reportedly infected 15 residents in the state last year.
In Mississippi, a total of 6 human cases of West Nile virus have been reported as of July 20, 2006, according to a state source. Other than one human case of WNV reported earlier in Copiah County, 3 new cases were found in Forrest County, 1 case in Lamar and 1 case in Monroe County.
In Kansas, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) announced the first probable human case of West Nile Virus (WNV) Fever in 2006. The case was identified in a child living in Harvey County, who had onset of symptoms on June 24 and was not hospitalized.
In South Dakota, a total of 4 human cases of West Nile virus infection have been reported this year according to the State, 1 case in Lincoln County and 3 cases in Brown County. In last update, one human case was reported in Brown County.
In 2005, West Nile virus reportedly infected 3000 people among whom 119 died from the infection. Most commonly seen complications are meningitis/encephalitis and fever. The most affected states include Arizona (113/5, cases/death toll), California (880/19), Colorado (106/2), Illinois (252/13), Louisiana (171/11), Nebraska (188/5), South Dakota (229/2), and Texas (195/11). According to the CDC, over 15,000 people in the U.S. have tested positive for West Nile Virus infection since 1999, including over 500 deaths.
For a population, the risk for a person to contract West Nile virus is low, and among the infected, less than 1% develop serious illness from the WNV, the USGS.gov says. However, those aged 50 or older and those with compromised immune systems are at highest risk for serious illness resulting from West Nile virus infection.
The CDC recommends all people take measures to prevent infection of West Nile virus as people of all ages can potentially develop serious illness. One effective measure people can take to lower the risk of WNV infection is to avoid mosquito bites.
West Nile virus infection causes no or mild, flu-like symptoms in the majority of people. Approximately 80 percent of people who are infected with West Nile virus do not show any symptoms while about 20% of people who become infected with WNV are expected to develop West Nile fever.
Symptoms of West Nile virus infection include fever, headache, tiredness, and body aches, occasionally with a skin rash (on the trunk of the body) and swollen lymph glands. While the illness can be as short as a few days, even healthy people have reported being sick for several weeks.
Severe symptoms associated with West Nile Viral infections include high fever, severe headache, stiff neck, disorientation, tremors, muscle weakness, paralysis and coma. Symptoms from WNV infection generally appear within 2-14 days after the bite of the mosquito.
Approximately 1 in 150 persons infected with the West Nile virus will develop a more severe form of disease. Serious illness can occur in people of any age, however, people over age 50 and some immune-compromised persons (for example, transplant patients) are at the highest risk for getting severely ill when infected with WNV.
West Nile virus is transmitted mostly by the bite of an infected mosquito. In a very small number of cases, WNV also has been spread through blood transfusions, organ transplants, breastfeeding and even during pregnancy from mother to baby.
As of July 18, 2006 West Nile virus infection was found birds, animals or mosquitoes in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, according to the CDC.
Like many other types of viral infection, there is no treatment for West Nile virus (WNV) infection. The best thing people can do to reduce the risk of WNV infection is to avoid mosquito bites.
Related articles
West Nile Virus: What You Need To Know (2)
West Nile Virus: What You Need To Know
© 2004-2008 by foodconsumer.org unless otherwise specified
Top of Page
Search Consumer-friendly Health Sites
|
