Officials over at Mississippi’s Rankin County are glad that they only had two cases of West Nile virus infection in 2008, which was much less than last year’s 15 cases.  And they are pressed in keeping the trend as low as possible.

Rankin County’s Emergency Operations Director Bob Wedgeworth said that their goal is to maintain public health as the county and other agencies have been gathering data to determine the mosquito population, as well as screen the collected mosquitoes for any possible virus.

Spraying pesticide to kill adult mosquitoes-or adulticide-will begin in a couple of weeks, which will be conducted by spray trucks that canvas the county, then followed by a larvicide in hopes to control the spread of this mosquito-borne virus that is known to cause paralysis and even death in severe cases.  Larvicide includes pellets that are dumped into standing water.

Wedgeworth attributes the low incidence of West Nile virus infection in 2008 to the residents who have been taking proper precautions to avoid the virus.  Meanwhile, Kris New of Vector Disease Control Inc, the company contracted to conduct adulticide and larvicide in the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District, claims that nature also controls many factors that caused the low WNV rate.  For instance, the amount of rainfall has decreased as well as changes in climate patterns have affected the mosquito population.

Several counties in the state of Tennessee have begun their mosquito monitoring drive as the summer season-as well as mosquito season-draws near to prevent the spread of West Nile virus in the area.  In Chattanooga-Hamilton County, the Health Department has urged its residents to take simple steps to repel mosquitoes.

West Nile virus is carried by mosquitoes and can cause illness to humans.  According to data gathered at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most people who contract West Nile virus do not show any symptoms.  However, about 20% of those infected would experience symptoms ranging from mild such as fever, headache, nausea, and vomiting, to the more severe illnesses like hepatitis. 

Director of the County Health Department’s Environmental Services Bonnie Deakins said, "The important thing to remember is to protect yourself from mosquito bites when you are going to be outside.  We want people to enjoy their spring and summer free of West Nile virus."

Some of the activities conducted during mosquito season include surveillance, which is a critical early warning system for detection of West Nile virus.  In Hamilton County, the Health Department’s Vector Control Program conducts a surveillance program that collects and tests mosquitoes to check for West Nile virus. 

Meanwhile, residents can also pitch in and monitor for WNV by delivering dead blue jays or crows, with no decay, that have mysteriously died on their property to the Environmental Health section of the Health Department.  Residents are advised to pick the bird using a glove or clear plastic bag and put the dead bird in two layers of clear, leak-proof bags.

Residents are also encouraged to control the mosquito population by eliminating breeding sites within their property.  Any area that collects stagnant water can turn into a breeding ground for the mosquitoes that transmit the virus, which is why it is very important to empty or discard objects that hold water, especially after rainfall.

Although there are a few cases of West Nile disease in the United States (with about 3,000 reported cases in 2005, including 119 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), you and your family should not take this deadly disease for granted especially during mosquito season.  Here are several common myths associated with this disease and the facts that truly matter.

There is not much we can do about West Nile virus

Although the infection caused by West Nile virus could leave you helpless because there is currently no treatment for it, there is a lot that you can do to reduce your chance of getting infected.  For one, you and your family should make a habit of using insect repellent with DEET when outdoors.  Also, have your children avoid the outdoors between dusk and dawn, when virus-carrying mosquitoes are most active.

Make sure that you get rid of unused containers, change water in bird baths, empty water from flower pots, and maintain clean gutters at least once a week.  This is to prevent the instances of standing water, which is a favorite breeding place among mosquitoes.  You also need to keep your window and door screens in good condition.

Kids are more vulnerable from getting infected with West Nile virus

In fact, people over 50 years of age are at the highest risk for developing severe infections cause by West Nile virus.  Also, most of the deaths during the WNV outbreak in 2002 were among people over 50 years old.  Meanwhile, there are relatively few children who have been reported with severe cases of West Nile viral infection.  Nevertheless, it is always a good idea for your children to avoid mosquito bites.

People with poor health are more susceptible from getting infected with West Nile virus

Severe cases of West Nile virus infections have affected even healthy, active older adults who spend time working and exercising outdoors.  However, this does not mean older adults should remain indoors.  It is important that they use insect repellent whenever they go outside.

Insect repellents with DEET are not safe

Repellents containing DEET are very safe for humans when used according to directions.  Extensive tests have been conducted to ensure that DEET is safe for adults and children, as well as determining the short-term and long-term effects on health.  Take note that different products have different strengths, depending on the percentage of DEET available.  The longer the protection you need, a higher percentage of DEET is needed.

If my area has a mosquito control program, I do not have to worry about West Nile virus

Mosquito control activities do not eliminate every mosquito, which is why it is very important to protect yourself and your family. 

Threats of the West Nile Virus infection has scaled down to a certain extent, but the medical authorities remains plagued by problems regarding this virus.

The West Nile Virus is an infectious disease that is spread by infected mosquitoes. The symptoms of this virus is mild, such as fever, headache, skin rashes, or swollen lymph glands. Unfortunately, having this virus enter the human brain can be deadly.

Detecting whether a particular person is infected with the West Nile Virus is ultimately based on that person’s clinical features, activities, places and dates of travel, as well as the epidemiologic history of the location where that person has traveled. Generally, laboratory diagnosis of the infection of the West Nile Virus can be done by testing of serum or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

Testing for the West Nile Virus infection is usually done in hospitals by the local health care providers. But due to the influx of the reported cases of West Nile Virus infection, diagnostic kits to for the West Nile Virus infection also arose.

Four of these kits became commercially available in the United States in an effort to aid the laboratory diagnosis of the patients with clinical symptoms of the West Nile Virus infection such as meningitis or encephalitis.

Of late, concerns about West Nile Virus diagnostic kits have been raised because of its increase in false-positive test results. False-positive results are test results that initially suggests that a person does have a West Nile Virus infection only to be proved wrong by a confirmatory test.

Confirmatory tests are conducted because diagnostic kits alone will not determine whether a person is indeed suffering from the West Nile Virus infection or not. Consequently, positive results yielded by commercially-available diagnostic kits should first be confirmed by additional testing at a state health department laboratory.

According to reports, concerns about the false-positive results with regards to the detection of the West Nile Virus infection is limited to a single diagnostic kit, which is the PanBio diagnostic kit, specifically those that were released during July and September of 2008.

The PanBio diagnostic kits, which caused a havoc for the suspected victims of the West Nile Virus infection, have already been recalled by the manufacturers. In spite of this, the medical authorities pledge to continue the monitoring and evaluation of tampered diagnostic kits.

Of late, several experiments were conducted to test which drug would work best in treating West Nile Virus Encephalitis, a condition characterized by the inflammation of the brain. The various tests made paved the way for the discovery that a drug originally intended to fight HIV may help this dangerous brain infection.

The West Nile Virus is a serious condition carried by infected mosquitoes. It can also be carried by ticks. It is commonly transmitted through blood transfusions, organ transplants, breastfeeding, and during pregnancy from mother to child. It is considered as a seasonal epidemic in North America. It commonly breaks out during the summer, but may continue until fall.

More often than not, the people who are infected with this virus do not experience symptoms until the latter stage of the infection. West Nile Virus Encephalitis is among the serious and advanced symptoms of the West Nile Virus infection.

The drug discovered through the experiments is called the AMD3100. Although it doesn’t actually tackle the West Nile Virus infection itself, it actually causes a certain change in the system, which leads to the fending off of the said West Nile Virus infection symptom. AMD3100 works by targeting the blood-brain barrier, which keeps infection-fighting inflammatory cells out of the brain.

According to the experts who are behind this research, the AMD3100 might also work in dealing with the other causes of encephalitis.

The West Nile Virus is a viral disease carried by a mosquito. The severity of the West Nile Virus infection depends on its carrier. The breakout of this dreadful disease has occurred in the continents of Africa, Asia, the Mediterranean, as well as in some parts of North America.

The West Nile Virus comes with several other sets of illnesses and disorders. Among these are the West Nile Encephalitis, West Nile Meningitis, West Nile Meningoencephalitis, and the West Nile fever. All of these disorders occur depending on whether the West Nile Virus infection that a person has is still in its early stages or is already on an advanced level.

Let us now look into these illnesses by first defining them one by one:

West Nile Encephalitis

West Nile Encephalitis is a type of neuroinvasive disease wherein the disease itself affects a person’s nervous system. It particularly occurs when the brain of a person who is infected with the West Nile Virus suffers from inflammation.

West Nile Meningitis

Another type of neuroinvasive disease, West Nile Meningitis is also an inflammation, not of the brain itself, but of the membrane around the brain as well as the spinal cord.

West Nile Meningoencephalitis

The term itself is self-explanatory. West Nile Meningoencephalitis is a disease wherein the person who is infected with it suffers from both Meningitis and Encephalitis. Meaning, the inflammation occurs around the brain and the spinal cord as well.

West Nile Fever

West Nile fever is another type of illness that people who are infected with the West Nile Virus often suffer from. It is characterized by fever, headache, aches, rashes, and tiredness. This illness can last from a couple of days to a couple of weeks, depending on how fast the body of a person can recuperate with this illness.

There are many complications that we have to deal with if we get infected with the West Nile Virus. It is imperative not only to arm ourselves from the disease carriers, but also to arm ourselves with the adequate knowledge that will help us to cope with the infection, if ever we or one of the people close to us becomes infected with the West Nile Virus.

The West Nile Virus is not only a fatal disease, it is also highly contagious. Moreover, the virus that its carriers bring are laden with the possible onset of other diseases.

Research was able to trace an outbreak of human encephalitis way back in 1999 around northeastern United States.

Encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain caused by a direct viral infection, is a serious disorder that plagues about two thousand Americans each year.

The outbreak was reported to have caused an extensive mortality in crows. In addition to this, exotic birds in the area were also reported to have been struck down. At that time, the experts had been clueless as to what the culprit behind these unfortunate cases were. But as they continued to conduct further tests, it was revealed that the West Nile Virus was the cause of the deaths.

The results that yielded positive on the West Nile Virus came about through a complete genome sequencing from the brain of a dead Chilean Flamingo and other species including mosquitoes. The tests shed light to the incidence of deaths. It also stated that the West Nile Virus circulated in natural transmission cycles.

This outbreak was closely related to the isolated case of a dead goose in Israel in 1998.

The West Nile Virus infection is a serious condition that should neither be ignored nor brushed off as a simple disease because in severe cases, this infection may lead to the development of human brain inflammation. With this fact comes the realization that we have to combat the West Nile Virus as a community.

Nevertheless, our efforts in fighting the West Nile Virus cannot be furthered unless we learn to separate fact from fiction; the valid information from the hearsays.

Here are some of the common misconceptions about the West Nile Virus, and the reality that counters these:

The West Nile Virus is an infection that we can do nothing about

Fact #1: We can do many things to reduce the risks of being contracted with the West Nile Virus. First, we can minimize our susceptibility to mosquito bites by using mosquito repellents. Second, we can opt to stay indoors during the prime of mosquitoes, which is during dusk and dawn.

Next, we can clean our homes and get rid of standing water where mosquitoes breed. And lastly, we can have our screens and windows fixed to keep our homes safe from mosquitoes.

Kids are the most likely targets of West Nile Virus infection

Fact #2: Adults who are over 50 are at even greater risks of contracting a West Nile Virus infection than kids. This is due to the fact that the immune system of older people is too weak to fight off the West Nile Virus infection.

In fact, most of the reported cases of death due to the West Nile Virus are the older adults. In contrast, relatively few children have been infected with the West Nile Virus.

Poor Health is the only risk factor in contracting the West Nile Virus infection

Fact #3: There are other factors that could lead to the contraction of the West Nile Virus infection. Age, lifestyle and sanitation of residence are also risk factors that should be considered.

Repellents may ward off mosquitoes, but they are hazardous to our health

Fact #4: Repellents are widely used and as such, it is subjected to a variety of tests to ensure the safety of the general public who uses it. Repellents are safe to use, as long as it is used as instructed.

Having a mosquito control program in our community will suffice as a preventive measure against the West Nile Virus, thus, repellents are no longer necessary

Fact #5: Having a mosquito control program in your community is not a guarantee that your area is mosquito-free. Therefore, it is still best to accomplish all the preventive measures that can be done in order to ward off from mosquitoes, especially those that carry the West Nile Virus infection.

The facts about the West Nile Virus are easily accessible.  It is up to us to keep ourselves informed.  After all, knowledge is power and that power, at this point, is indispensable to us.

Basic prevention tips can help people from contracting the disease both on adults and children. Known to bring fatal viral infections like encephalitis, a disease that causes the inflamed brain to push toward the skull,  and meningitis, the inflammation of the meninges, the West Nile Virus is as insidious as it can be. Yet knowing what to do to prevent from getting infected is one of the best ways from staying free from it.

Using DEET

For adults

Products with 10% to 35% DEET can provide enough protection one needs under certain conditions. It is a rule that the label direction of the product with DEET be read.

Apply only a limited quantity directly on the skin. Remember not to apply it on skin under clothing. Likewise, avoid applying it to damaged skin. This goes specially for those with conditions like psoriasis, sunburns or cuts.

For children

Children less than two years old, never apply repellents. Additional clothing or netting is best for infants. If applying DEET, products with DEET should be 10% or lower.

Do not apply directly to children. It is advised that the parent should apply first to his or her hand and rub it on the child’s skin. It is safe that children don’t apply the product by themselves. Keep the product away from reach children’s reach.

It is best to wash affected first and call a Poison Center (1-800-222-1222) or your local health care giver if you or your child is having reactions from products with DEET.

Other methods of prevention

As getting infected by the virus is unavoidable, it is best that a series of measures be done to alleviate or totally prevent any possibility of contracting it. Further, since DEET can only provide a limited amount of protection, it is best that you or your child be safe from it.

• Wear long pants or shirts with long sleeves.
• If possible, avoid the time of the day when mosquitoes are usually active like dawn and dusk.
• Infants in playpens or carriages should be protected by nettings.
• Keep door and window screens in perfect condition.
• Bury dead birds or other animals immediately if you see one.
• Get rid of materials that can be a potential breeding ground for mosquitoes such as tires or cans as these items can collect standing water.
• If possible, drain the water from basins or any material that can gather water.

For more information on mosquito control, contact the National Pesticide Control Center: 1-800-858-7378.

Summer may be gone and fall has already arrived, but according to health officials the worst of West Nile season is not yet over.

Kane County Health Department officials pointed out this week that since the disease sprang up in 2002, the biggest number of cases occurred between August 15 and October 15. According to the information the County Board Public Health Committee saw this week, around 33-46 human illness cases diagnosed in county since 2002 have taken place between those dates.

Claire Dobbins of the Health Department says "So this is not the time to let our guard down. The next three months is really the big part of our program."

Officials still urge the community continue preventive measures to decrease mosquito breeding hiding places. Regularly clean areas where water can accumulate and stagnate. Stagnant water can accumulate inside flower pots, garbage can lids, grill covers, children’s toys, buckets, old tires, clogged gutters, spouts. All of these can be a breeding places for mosquitoes.

County Health Department also recommends people to continue personal precautions to avoid mosquitoes. Do not go outdoors between dawn and dusk – this is the time when mosquitoes are most active. Apply repellent that has DEET, picaridin or oil lemon eucalyptus when outdoors. Repair screens regularly.