West Nile Virus

1
West Nile Virus

• Jason Robitaille
• Slot A

2
Prevention

• The following are different ways in which you can
  avoid mosquito bites
• Apply Insect Repellent Containing DEET
• Clothing Can Help Reduce Mosquito Bites
• Be Aware of Peak Mosquito Hours Mainly at
  sun-set
• Drain Standing Water These are breeding
  grounds for mosquitoes
• Make sure screen doors dont have any tears or
  rips
• Report any dead birds you find to local
  authorities

3
Known Causes

• There are three ways you can get West
• Nile virus
• Bite from an infected mosquito
• Transplantation of an infected organ
• Transfusion of infected blood

4
Virus Lifecycle
The virus travels from a mosquito to a bird. The
infected bird carries it the virus around and
soon another mosquito sucks the birds blood,
transmitting the virus. Other creatures that get
infected, such as humans and horses, receive the
virus from infected mosquitoes.
5
Symptoms

• Most people who are infected with the West Nile
  virus will not have any type of illness. About
  20 of the people who become infected will
  develop West Nile fever mild symptoms, including
  fever, headache, and body aches, occasionally
  with a skin rash on the trunk of the body and
  swollen lymph glands.
• The symptoms of severe infection include
  headache, high fever, neck stiffness, stupor,
  disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions,
  muscle weakness, and paralysis.
• Only about 1 in 150 people infected with the West
  Nile virus will develop a more severe form of
  disease.

6
Medical Treatment

• There is no specific treatment for West Nile
  virus infection yet. However several university
  and medical centers around the world are trying
  to discover a cure.

7
Lifestyle Changes

• In the severe cases, intensive supportive therapy
  is needed, often involving hospitalization,
  intravenous fluids, airway management,
  respiratory support, prevention of secondary
  infections, and good nursing care.

8
Life Expectancy

• The risk of developing a serious West Nile
  virus-related illness after being bitten by an
  infected mosquito is less than 1. In most cases
  people who become infected with the virus recover
  fully.

9
Population Infected
LEGEND

Birds submitted for diagnosis (by Health Region)

           NO            YES            POSITIVE
Legend NO YES POSITIVE
10
Virus History

• West Nile virus was first discovered in the West
  Nile District of Uganda in 1937. The virus passed
  to Egypt in the 1950s. The virus became
  recognized as a cause of severe human
  meningoencephalitis (inflammation of the spinal
  cord and brain) in elderly people during an
  outbreak in Israel in 1957. Some infected birds
  migrated to North America, where new mosquitoes
  absorbed the virus. The first appearance of WN
  virus in North America was in 1999, with several
  infected humans and horses. Since then, the
  virus has spread throughout Canada and the USA,
  infecting many.