The primary cause of the West Nile virus can be traced back to mosquitoes. These insects seem to be the main source of virus transmission to humans. Although the virus may have been carried from place to place by birds, it is the mosquitoes that eventually transfer the virus to humans. A mosquito that bites a bird infected by the West Nile virus becomes a carrier. Once an infected mosquito bites a human, the virus is then transferred into humans. The best way of avoiding the transmission of the …

Since the West Nile virus outbreak may still be considered a fairly new threat, it has already been a cause of alarm in the US as well as in other parts of North America. It has also have become quite a dangerous disease that has been affecting a number of Americans since 1999. The year that the West Nile virus was documented in the US saw about 62 diagnoses of the infection that led to seven deaths.In the year 2000, the documented number of people infected with the West Nile virus decreased to …

There are more than 2,500 species of mosquitoes around the world, about 200 of which can be found in North America. Meanwhile, 45 mosquito species are known to carry the West Nile virus, but some of the mosquitoes are more common carriers than others.Here are some of the common mosquito carriers of the West Nile virus in US and Canada.Culex pipiens – These species can be found in central and eastern United States except in Florida. Known as the northern house mosquito, they are common in urban a…

The West Nile virus quickly spread across North America after its introduction in 1999. It is theorized that the infection was introduced accidentally by an air traveler who was infected before he arrived in New York. The disease spread quickly through infected bird, as the mosquitoes spread the disease to mammals including humans. As of 2007, 47 of 48 mainland states in the US have cases of West Nile virus infections, 12 of which had greater than 10% mortality rates in certain years.West Nile v…

West Nile virus may be rare but its danger cannot be ignored. Even if you are infected with the virus, your risk of developing a serious illness is extremely small. Less then one percent of people who are bitten become severely ill, and most people who do become sick recover quite quickly. However, your risk of getting infected by the West Nile Virus increases according to the following factors:Older adults – As we get older, especially over 50, our immune system becomes weaker.Weakened immune s…

There are a lot of diseases transmitted by mosquitoes, and one of them is the West Nile virus or WNV. The virus belongs to the family of Flaviviridae, the same family the dengue virus belongs to, and can be found in the tropics as well as in the temperate regions. The virus is more common in birds, but every now and then the virus has been known to be transmitted to humans and in animals like horses, dogs, cats, bats, and domestic rabbits.  The Culex species of mosquito is responsible for spread…