How do people get the West Nile Virus?
After being bitten by a mosquito that is infected with West Nile Virus. Can you get the West Nile Virus from a person? No. West Nile Virus can only be contracted through the bite of an infected mosquito. Can you get West Nile Virus from birds? There is no evidence that a person can get the virus from handling live or dead infected birds. West Nile Virus can only be contracted through the bite of an infected mosquito. What happened if you’re infected with the West Nile Virus? Most infected people show no symptoms or have mild symptoms of disease. Mild symptoms include fever, headache, and body aches, often with skin rash and swollen lymph glands. More severe cases can be marked by headache, high fever, stiff neck, disorientation, coma, tremors, paralysis and, death. How fatal is this disease? Approximately 10% of the symptomatic cases result in death. Fatalities are more likely in people over the age of 50. What is the treatment? There is no known cure for West Nile fever.
People get West Nile virus from mosquitoes. Mosquitoes pick it up after feeding on infected birds. Less than 1 percent of mosquitoes actually carry the virus. What are the symptoms and what should people do if they think they are infected? The illness is rare. Most people (four out of five) infected won’t have any symptoms. About one in five will get mild symptoms. Only about one in 150 people who contract West Nile Virus will develop severe symptoms. Mild infections often cause flu-like symptoms such as headaches, fever, body aches and nausea. Symptoms of mild cases last a few days to several weeks but then go away. Severe forms may last several weeks, and some effects may not go away. There is no cure for West Nile virus. Your doctor may suggest rest, fluids and pain-relief medications. If you have more severe symptoms, you may need to be in the hospital to receive fluids and nursing care. How do people protect themselves? Avoiding mosquito bites is the best way to protect yourself a
