What is West Nile Virus?
West Nile Virus is the number one mosquito-borne disease in the continental United States. Mosquitoes become infected when they bite an infected bird. Infected mosquitoes then bite humans thereby transmitting the virus.
There are no vaccines to prevent West Nile Virus and there are no medications to treat it
Most people who are infected with West Nile Virus will not feel sick.
1 in 5 people will develop a fever, with other symptoms such as headache, joint pain, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea, rash. People who get this type of West Nile virus disease usually recover completely. They may suffer from fatigue or weakness that can last for weeks or even months.
Severe West Nile Virus Disease
Approximately 1 in 150 people develop a very serious illness that affects the central nervous system, like encephalitis (brain inflammation) or meningitis (spinal cord inflammation and brain membrane inflammation).
Symptoms of this very serious illness include: high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis.
This serious illness can happen to people of any age, but it is more likely to strike those over 60, or those who have cancer, diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease. Another more vulnerable group is people who have gotten organ transplants.
Recovery from this type of West Nile Virus may take weeks or months and some of the damage may be permanent.
Approximately 1 in 10 people with serious West Nile Virus disease die.
Where is West Nile Virus found in the US?
In 2018, there were cases of West Nile disease in people in 48 of 50 states and in the District of Columbia. The only states that did not have cases were Hawaii and New Hampshire. (Note: in 2017, there was a case in New Hampshire. Hawaii has only registered one case between 1999 and 2018.)
As of June 1, 2019, West Nile Virus infections in humans have been reported in Arizona, Arkansas, Nevada, Oklahoma, and Virginia.
West Nile Virus infections in mosquitoes, birds and various animals have been reported in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia.
Because we are early in mosquito season (which runs generally from May-November, depending on location), West Nile Virus infections are just getting started. It is expected that infections will be found in mosquitoes, birds, animals and humans throughout the continental US by the end of the season.
Personal experience with West Nile
One of the main reasons I decided to start Tedderfield to provide education about mosquitoes and the diseases they carry as well as premium quality mosquito nets is because I have personally suffered the effects of mosquito borne disease. I want to help you and your loved ones avoid getting sick!
I have lived and worked all over the world including in countries where there are many kinds of mosquito borne diseases like malaria, dengue fever, chikungunya, and others.
I managed to catch my first mosquito borne disease, West Nile Virus, right here in the US.
I lived in Central Pennsylvania and as luck would have it, over a holiday weekend, I came down with absolutely bone-crushing body aches and an incredible headache as well as generally feeling like death warmed over.
My only option was to go to an emergency room and this ended up being fortuitous. West Nile Virus can be definitively diagnosed by a blood test. They took my blood and the doctor came back to give me the news.
I was relieved to have a diagnosis, but the bad news was, because it’s a virus, all you can do is treat the symptoms, but you cannot speed up healing.
I was very lucky that I did not have the severe version of the disease, but I can tell you that this lesser version was no picnic. The body aches and headache were so bad that it was impossible to sleep, work or do much of anything.
Painkillers helped some, and after about 5 days, the symptoms started to ease, and after about a week I felt more or less normal, though I was extra tired for a couple weeks after that.
Key take aways:
- If you come down with fever, headache, body aches, upset stomach, or any combination of these and you have been bitten by mosquitoes, it is a good idea to see a doctor!
- The ONLY way to prevent West Nile Virus disease is to avoid getting mosquito bites!
- HOW can you avoid mosquitoes bites? Click here!
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