West Nile Virus
In response to the questions we've been getting about West Nile virus,
we wanted to make some information available to you.
This virus (which has been around since 1937 but only seen in the US since
1999) is one of a number of infections that can cause encephalitis:
a brain infection. Thankfully, these infections are rare. They cause serious
illness mostly in people over the age of 50.
Contracted through the bite of an infected mosquito, the incubation period is
thought to be from 3 to 14 days (--the time it would take from exposure to
the virus to getting symptoms from the infection).
People with this infection have very bad muscle aches, fever, and sometimes
headache, rash, eye pain, nausea and vomiting. They often have enlarged lymph
nodes.
Patients with encephalitis (the brain infection) are sick enough that they
are hospitalized, and then the doctors must figure out what is causing the
illness. They do this by looking at specific antibodies in the blood and also in
the fluid that surrounds the brain (spinal fluid).
Encephalitis is different from meningitis (infection of the lining around the
brain). It is more severe; it affects a person's ability to think. It is also
very uncommon.
The best way to prevent infection is to avoid being bitten by affected
mosquitoes. The infection is not transmitted from person to person (except in
rare cases of organ transplant or blood transfusion).
If you have further questions or concerns you can send an e-mail to UHS or you can call 216-368-4539 and schedule
an appointment to see a Health Care provider.