West Nile Virus: What is West Nile virus encephalitis?
West Nile virus (WNV) encephalitis is a mosquito-borne viral disease, which can cause an inflammation of the brain. WNV is commonly found in Africa, West Asia, the Middle East and Europe, and is closely related to St. Louis encephalitis virus, which was found in New Jersey in 1964 and 1975. For the first time in North America, WNV was confirmed in the New York metropolitan area during the summer and fall of 1999. WNV successfully over-wintered in the northeastern United States and was present in humans, horses, birds, and mosquitoes in 2000 and 2001. Preparations are being made to monitor for WNV activity again in 2002.
