2012 West Nile Virus Outbreak

2012 West Nile Virus Outbreak

In 2012, the West Nile outbreak is said to be the largest outbreak that happened in the U.S. That is according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Statistics revealed that about four out of five people who become infected by a mosquito bite have no symptoms.

However, about twenty percent of people who become infected with West Nile virus develop West Nile fever, within two to fifteen days afterward.Symptoms include fever, headache, tiredness, body aches, occasionally with a skin rash (on the trunk of the body) and swollen lymph glands. Though the illness only lasts for a few days, there are still numbers of healthy people that have been reported being sick for several weeks.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) there is no treatment for West Nile virus fever.In addition, CDC stated that out of one hundred fifty people who have been infected, one person will likely develop neuroinvasive disease. It is a kind of disease that attacks and infects a person’s central nervous system. Neuroinvasive disease includes West Nile encephalitis, West Nile meningitis and West Nile poliomyetitis.

Symptoms of these diseases include headache, high fever, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, and paralysis.Anyone who develops a high fever with severe headache is advised to immediately seek medical help.

Posted by George Daniels on Thursday August 23 2012, 2:07 AM EST. Ref: CDC. Link. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, Health. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0