West Nile virus was first isolated from a febrile adult woman in the West Nile District of Uganda in 1937. The ecology was characterised in Egypt in the 1950s. The virus became recognised as a cause of severe human meningoencephalitis (inflammation of the spinal cord and brain) in elderly patients during an outbreak in Israel in 1957.
Mosquitoes become infected when they feed on infected birds, which may circulate the virus in their blood for a few days. Infected mosquitoes can then transmit West Nile virus to humans and animals while biting to take blood. Distribution of WNF click here
Manifestations: Most infections are mild, and symptoms include:
Fever
Headache
Body aches
Skin rash
Swollen lymph glands.
More severe infection may be marked by:
Headache
High fever
Neck stiffness
Stupor
Disorientation
Coma
Tremors
Convulsions
Muscle weakness
Paralysis
Rarely, death
Diagnose and treatment: Blood test gives the diagnose. There is no specific treatment.
Prevent West Nile Fever by:
When outside, wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and socks.
Tuck your shirt into your pants.
Apply insect repellent on uncovered skin and under the ends of sleeves and pant legs. Follow the instructions on the label of the repellent. The most effective repellents are those that contain the chemical DEET (N,N-diethylmetatoluamide). The concentration of DEET varies among repellents. Repellents with DEET concentrations of 30-35% are quite effective, and the effect should last about 4 hours. Lower concentrations should be used for children (no more than 10% DEET). Repellents with DEET should be used sparingly on children from 2 to 6 years old and not at all on children less than 2 years old.
Spray clothing with permethrin-containing insecticides. The insecticide should be reapplied after every five washings.
Spray living and sleeping areas with an insecticide to kill insects.
Sleep in an area that is well screened
Sleep in air-conditioned
Use a bed net and tuck it under your mattress
Use a bed net that has been soaked in or sprayed with permethrin. The permethrin will be effective for several months if the bed net is not washed.
The contents within traveldoctoronline are presented only for informational purposes and cannot substitute for professional health care or any other medical treatment.All users of this website with health problems should be oblige always to consult their medical doctor before starting any treatment.
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