What are the symptoms of West Nile Virus?
Most people who become infected with the West Nile virus will not have any symptoms. Less than 1% of people who become infected with the West Nile virus will develop symptoms. Symptoms include fever, head and body aches and may include swollen glands and a skin rash on the body. The elderly and people living with weakened immune systems are at the highest risk for a more severe illness. A more severe infection may be marked by headache, high fever, neck stiffness, tremors, coma, weakness paralysis, and in vary rare cases, death.
AWest Nile virus infections cause a variety of symptoms in humans which commonly include: fever, headache, body aches, tiredness, skin rash on the trunk of the body, swollen lymph glands, nausea or vomiting. Signs of illness appear suddenly from 3 – 14 days after a person is bitten by an infected mosquito. Approximately 1 out of 5 people bitten by an infected mosquito develop West Nile Fever or even more severe forms of the infection such as West Nile Meningitis, Encephalitis, and Poliomeyelitis.
The West Nile Virus (WNV) is contracted through the bite of an infected mosquito and can be a potentially serious illness that affects the central nervous system. However, about 80% of all those who contract WNV will not have any symptoms at all, never knowing they were infected. Roughly 20% who contract WNV will develop West Nile Fever (WNF). The symptoms of WNF are fever, headache, body aches, possible vomiting, tiredness, swollen lymph glands, and occasionally, a rash on the stomach or back. There is no specific treatment for West Nile Virus, and symptoms will subside on their own. Over-the-counter medication to relieve headaches and body aches may provide relief. Symptoms normally last a few days, but can last several weeks, even in healthy people. WNF has no lasting harmful effects. The real concern over WNV has to do with the slightly-less-than-1% of those infected, who will develop severe neuroinvasive disease.
In last year’s outbreak, most people who were infected with the West Nile virus had no symptoms or experienced mild illness with fever, headache and body aches before fully recovering. In outbreaks in other parts of the world, some persons also developed a mild rash or swollen lymph glands. In some individuals, particularly the elderly, West Nile virus can cause serious disease that affects brain tissue. At its most serious, it can cause permanent neurological damage and can be fatal. Encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) symptoms include the rapid onset of severe headache, high fever, stiff neck, confusion, loss of consciousness (coma), and muscle weakness. Death may occur in some instances. Q: Can you get West Nile encephalitis from another person? A: No. West Nile encephalitis is NOT transmitted from person to person.
Mild infections are common with the West Nile virus. Symptoms of a mild infection include fever, headache, and body aches, which are often accompanied by a skin rash and swollen lymph nodes. More severe infections are less common and are marked by headache, high fever, neck stiffness, stupor (sleepiness), disorientation, coma, tremors, occasional convulsions, paralysis, and rarely death. Death rates range from 3%-15% and are higher in the elderly. When is there an increased risk for infection? The risk of infection is highest during mosquito season and does not lower until mosquito activity ceases for the season (when freezing temperatures occur). In temperate areas of the world, cases of West Nile virus infection occur primarily in the late summer or early fall. In southern climates where temperatures are milder, West Nile virus infections can occur year round. Who is at risk for getting West Nile virus?
