West Nile Virus

West Nile Virus
Galen of Ockham, Corporate Chirurgeon

The news has been awash with reports of a new plague sweeping the North American continent. To hear tell the media's cry of "pestilence," you would think the Black Plague has returned in full force. The specter of West Nile Virus, however, is not going to wipe out a quarter of the Knowne World. In fact, the vast majority of gentles who contract this viral marauder know not that they have been so violated.

West Nile Virus (WNV) was first found in Africa in 1937. It has caused several outbreaks through the European continent since then. It was not seen in North America until 1999 when it was discovered as the cause of death of numerous birds on the east coast. It has since continued it's westward march and has now been seen in all but 5 states in the continental US.

The virus is spread by mosquitoes. It usually lives in birds, but humans and horses can also be infected. Four out of five who get infected have no signs of the virus at all. One in five have a mild disease with flu-like symptoms of nausea, headache, tired, and achiness. The symptoms generally last 3 - 5 days. One in 150 who are infected develop a more severe infection that affects the brain and/or the lining around it. Typically the people who are at risk for severe infection are over 70 years of age.

To put the number of cases in perspective, let's compare WNV to the flu. Millions of people in the United States - about 10% to 20% of U.S. residents - will get the flu each year. An average of about 20,000 people per year in the United States die from the flu, and 114,000 people are hospitalized. In 2002, there were only 3419 cases of WNV with 180 deaths. The median age of those who died of WNV was 79.

Therefore this so-called plague is not to be overly feared, nor again should it be laughed off. Even though there's no treatment, it can be prevented by protecting yourself from mosquito bites. This will also protect you from numerous other diseases that these winged cowans carry (including malaria which has recently surfaced in the southeastern US). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend:

Apply DEET-containing insect repellent sparingly to exposed skin. The more DEET a repellent contains the longer time it can protect you from mosquito bites. A higher percentage of DEET in a repellent does not mean that your protection is better, just that it will last longer. DEET concentrations higher than 50% do not increase the length of protection. Choose a repellent that provides protection for the amount of time that you will be outdoors.
Repellents may irritate the eyes and mouth, so avoid applying repellent to the hands of children.
Whenever you use an insecticide or insect repellent, be sure to read and follow the manufacturer's DIRECTIONS FOR USE, as printed on the product.
Spray clothing with repellents containing permethrin or DEET since mosquitoes may bite through thin clothing. Do not apply repellents containing permethrin directly to exposed skin. If you spray your clothing, there is no need to spray repellent containing DEET on the skin under your clothing.
When possible, wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants whenever you are outdoors.
Place mosquito netting over infant carriers when you are outdoors with infants. For more information on WNV or mosquito protection, visit the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile.