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Protecting Outdoor Workers From The West Nile Virus
With the West Nile Virus still posing as a threat in many US states, it pays for people to become more aware and minimize the risks. Those who are always working outdoors may be facing a bigger risk of possibly being infected by mosquitoes carrying the West Nile Virus. The Center for Disease Control and […]
West Nile Virus and Wild Game Meat
West Nile virus infects humans when they are bitten by an infected mosquito or through blood transfusion or organ donation. But, we should also still be careful of the things around us, like for instance, the food we eat. WNV infection risks from eating an infected game animalAccording to the CDC there is no evidence that people will be infected by the West Nile Virus if they eat infected meat. However, food, especially game meat should be handled and cooked properly because several food-borne d…
August 2008 West Nile Virus Activity in United States
There have been 114 reports of Human West Nile Virus Infection. Of the 114 human cases of West Nile Virus Infection45 of them suffered from Encephalitis and Meningitis. 67 had fever.2 had unspecified conditions.There have been 2 fatalities. Affected States include:Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and W…
West Nile Virus and Breastfeeding
In 2002, there was a case of transplacental (mother-to-child) transmission of the West Nile Virus reported. However, due to the limited number of cases reported, it is still impossible to tell what risks infections during pregnancy pose to the unborn child. West Nile Virus and PregnancyThe 2002 reported case of transplacental transmission of the West Nile virus resulted in the child having the West Nile virus infection at birth, as well as severe medical problems. However, according to Centers F…
Impact of Commercial Testing for West Nile Virus
All of us go to our health care provider when we feel something. In this case, if a person has symptoms of a West Nile virus illness, a specimen is sent of a commercial lab to determine if the person really has been infected by the virus. Commercial lab tests check for antibodies to the virus. The test results will be sent to your doctor and the state health department will be informed, once the results are confirmed positive. Though the WNV infection has no cure and though the diagnosis does no…
West Nile Virus Among Blood Donors
As of July 8, 2008, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has received reports of a total of 5 presumptively viremic blood donors (PVDs) through its ArboNET surveillance program through state and local health departments A presumptively viremic blood donor is a person whose blood tested positive when screened for the presence of West Nile virus. PVDs are followed up by the blood agency to verify their infection with additional tests. Some PVDs do go on to develop symptoms after do…
New West Nile Virus Strain May Worsen Epidemic
Reuters reports on Thursday that that a new strain of the West Nile Virus is spreading better and earlier across the country. This new strain may thrive on hot American Summers. According to a second team of researchers, a new strain has already completely overtaken the original strain. This new West Nile Virus strain is reportedly better suited to hotter weather. This means that outbreaks may worsen up north.According to Lyle Petersen who helps lead the West Nile surveillance at the CDC, this a…
West Nile Virus Preventive Measures
As the summer months are fast approaching, the incidence of mosquito borne diseases such as the West Nile virus might again be on the rise. Although the threat of the West Nile virus may have died down a bit after the scare that it brought sometime during 2000 to 2003, people are in no way safe yet from being threatened by the virus. Certain parts of the US have again showed signs of the virus as indicated by some researchers still trying to keep track of the West Nile virus threat. The West Nil…
What is West Nile Virus?
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…