To United States, a 60-year-old man from Camden, in the New Jersey, died of infection with virus West Nile (WN, or West Nile virus). On July 16, the patient was admitted to a local hospital with symptoms consistent with a WN infection. He was transferred to a second facility where he died. Laboratory tests confirmed the WN virus infection.
The WN virus typically affects a small number of New Jersey residents each year, but the prevalence of the virus has increased recently according to the county health official.
Reminders on the virus West Nile
the virus West Nile is considered today as the Flavivirus the most common after that of dengue. It belongs to the family of Flaviviridae and kind Flavivirus. It is migratory birds that play the role of virus reservoir animals. The virus is transmitted through the bite of mosquitoes of the genus Culex : After biting infected birds, female mosquitoes become competent to transmit the virus to humans during a blood meal.
In the majority of cases (80%), infection with West Nile virus is asymptomatic.
- Symptomatic forms of the disease are characterized by the sudden onset of a high fever after 3 to 6 days of incubation. This fever is accompanied by headache and back pain, muscle pain, coughing, lymphadenopathy in the neck, and often a rash, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and respiratory symptoms.
- Neurological complications (meningitis, encephalitis) occur in less than 1% of cases. More rarely still, other complications (hepatitis, pancreatitis or myocarditis) may appear.
Generally, the patient recovers spontaneously, sometimes with sequelae. But viral infection can be fatal mainly in older adults.
To protect yourself, you are advised:
- reduce the time spent outdoors during the mosquito’s active hours (between dusk and dawn);
- wear light-colored clothing with long sleeves, pants and socks in areas where mosquitoes are present;
- protect yourself from mosquito bites by using insect repellents containing DEET;
- clean gutters and regularly empty birdbaths and other objects liable to collect water;
- ensure that the rain barrels are covered with mosquito nets or that they are tightly sealed around the rainwater downpipe;
- improve landscaping to prevent standing water around the house.
Source : Outbreak News Today.
–
