Mosquitos ---West Nile Virus
A July 28, 2012 article in our
local newspaper spread the news. The
hot, dry summertime weather we are dealing with this year provides excellent
breeding grounds for the sneaky, small Culex mosquito and its disease, West
Nile virus (WNV). The Midwest states are
reporting increased numbers of infected Culex mosquitoes. This means an increased risk for people being
bitten and developing West Nile disease.
As of August 2, 2012, 42 states reported infections of West Nile, with
241 people confirmed ill.
West Nile disease was first
recognized in 1937 in Uganda, Africa.
This virus has been carried around the world by migrating birds. More
information can be found at CDC website at http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2012/p0801_west_nile.html
Symptoms of WNV: most people (80%) who contract WNV will not
feel bad. Some who get the illness will have mild symptoms such as “fever,
headache, and body aches, nausea, vomiting and sometimes swollen lymph nodes or
a skin rash on chest, stomach and back.”
Symptoms may last for a few days or it may last for several weeks. One in 150 people who catch WNV will become
really ill with severe symptoms of “high fever, headache, neck stiffness,
stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision
loss, numbness and paralysis. These
symptoms may last weeks and neurological symptoms may become permanent.” This information can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/wnv_factSheet.htm
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