What are the symptoms of West Nile illness?
Most people who are infected with WNV will not develop symptoms. A minority of infected persons will develop an illness with fever, headache, body aches, and sometimes skin rash and swollen glands 3 to 15 days after the bite of an infected mosquito. Symptoms of a mild disease will last a few days. WNV infection seldom results in a severe illness known as West Nile meningitis or West Nile encephalitis. Encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain that may be marked by headache, high fever, stiff neck, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, and paralysis. Symptoms of severe disease may last several weeks, although neurological effects may be permanent. A small number of cases have been fatal. Who is at risk for West Nile virus illness? In areas where WNV transmission is occurring, human illness does occur but is relatively rare. The risk of West Nile meningitis or encephalitis (the severe form of disease) is higher for persons 50 years of age and older. Are
