How do people or animals become infected with West Nile Virus?
People and animals most commonly become infected from the bite of certain kinds of mosquitoes that are infected with the virus. Mosquitoes may pick up the virus when they bite, or take a blood meal, from wild birds that are infected with West Nile Virus. Those mosquitoes may then transmit the virus to people and other animals when biting. Infection occurs primarily in the late summer or early fall.
