Q: What is West Nile virus?
A: West Nile virus 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).
Q: How can I help prevent illness from West Nile?
A: To improve personal protection, people can:
- Keep Skin Protected. Wear long sleeved shirts and long pants, socks, and hats when outdoors from dusk to dawn or during mid-day if in wooded areas or tall grass.
- Use enough repellent to cover exposed skin or clothing
- Do NOT apply to skin under clothing.
- Do not use repellent on infants 2 months or younger. Put them in a carrier or stroller and cover with mosquito netting.
- Never use repellent on cuts, wounds, or irritated skin
- Do not apply repellent to eyes or mouth, and apply sparingly around ears.
- For children, apply repellent first to your own hands. Use your hands to put on child's exposed skin. You may not want to put any repellent on child's hands. (Children put their hands in their mouths)
- Do not spray aerosol or pump products in enclosed areas or around food.
- Always read and follow label instructions for reapplication. Directions are different for each repellent, and different for various concentrations of the same repellent.
- Combination products of sunscreen and repellent are not recommended. Repellent is not water soluble and needs different reapplication times than sunscreen. Read label directions.
- After returning indoors, wash treated skin with soap and water, or bathe. This is especially important if using repellent repeatedly during the day, or on consecutive days. Check repellent label for laundering instructions as you may want to launder clothing before wearing again.
- If you or your child develops a rash or reaction from an insect repellent, stop using the repellent. Wash the repellent off with mild soap and water. You may want to call local Poison Control Center, 1-800-222-1222, for further guidance. Keep repellent to be able to report label information to doctor or Poison Control Center.
Q: How is West Nile virus spread?
A: West Nile virus is spread to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito. A mosquito becomes infected by biting a bird which carries the virus. You or your child cannot get West Nile virus from a person who has the disease. West Nile virus is not spread by person-to-person contact such as touching, kissing, or caring for someone who is infected.
Q: Where can I find information about West Nile in my state?
A: The information on this web site tells you where the human cases have been found. westnilemaps.usgs.gov
Q: What are the symptoms of West Nile virus?
A:No Symptoms in Most People - approximately 80% of people who are infected with WNV will not show any symptoms at all. |
| Mild Symptoms in Some People - up to 20% of the people who become infected will display mild symptoms including: fever, headache, nausea, body aches, vomiting, and sometimes swollen lymph glands or a skin rash on the chest, stomach and back. Symptoms typically last a few days. |
| Serious Symptoms in a Few People - about one in 150 people infected with WNV will develop severe illness. The severe symptoms can include high fever, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis. Death may occur in some cases. |
In cases with mild symptoms, these symptoms pass on their own. In more severe cases, people usually need to go to the hospital where they can receive supportive treatment including intravenous fluids, help with breathing and nursing care.
Q: Can you get West Nile encephalitis from another person?
A: No. West Nile encephalitis is NOT transmitted from person to person. For example, you cannot get West Nile virus from touching or kissing a person who has the disease, or from a health care worker who has treated someone with the disease.
Q: What is the incubation period in humans (i.e., time from infection to onset of disease symptoms) for West Nile encephalitis?
A: Usually 2-3 to 14 days.
Q: I've been bitten by a mosquito. Should I be tested for West Nile virus?
A: No. Most mosquitoes are not infected with the West Nile virus. Illnesses related to mosquito bites are rare. However, you should see a doctor immediately if you develop symptoms such as high fever, confusion, muscle weakness, severe headaches, stiff neck, or if your eyes become sensitive to light. Patients with mild symptoms should recover completely, and do not require any specific medication or laboratory testing.
Q:What is the Risk of Catching WNV?
A: For Most, Risk is Low - less than 1% of people who are bitten by mosquitoes develop any symptoms of the disease and relatively few mosquitoes actually carry WNV.
Greater Risk for Those Outdoors a Lot - people who spend a lot of time outdoors are more likely to be bitten by an infected mosquito. They should take special care to avoid mosquito bites.
People Over 50 Can Get Sicker - people over the age of 50 are more likely to develop serious symptoms of WNV if they do get sick and should take special care to avoid mosquito bites.
Risk Through Medical Procedures is Low - the risk of getting WNV through blood transfusions and organ transplants is very small and should not prevent people who need surgery from having it.
Q: How is West Nile encephalitis treated?
A: There is no specific therapy. In more severe cases, intensive supportive therapy is indicated, i.e., hospitalization, intravenous (IV) fluids and nutrition, airway management, ventilatory support (ventilator) if needed, prevention of secondary infections (pneumonia, urinary tract, etc.), and good nursing care.
Q: What proportion of people die when infected with West Nile virus?
A: Fewer than 1% of people infected with West Nile virus develop encephalitis, and among those hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis, the case fatality rate ranges from 3% to 15%. Therefore, less than 1 in 1,000 of people infected with West Nile virus die.
Q: Is there a vaccine against West Nile virus?
A: No.
Q: Where can I find more information about West Nile Virus?
A: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/index.htm |
