It looks like another wet summer for the Rochester, N.Y. and the Monroe County area. Wet summers mean mosquitoes. Mosquitoes mean the West Nile virus is again a threat in the region.
The West Nile virus was first discovered in central Africa in 1937. It was studied and characterized in Egypt in the 1950's, hence the name. It was first discovered in the United States in 1999, and has been found in every state but Hawaii, Alaska and Oregon.
West Nile is not a serious threat to most people. Less than one percent of those infected will suffer a serious illness or related complications. Four out of five infected will suffer no symptoms at all.
West Nile is spread through the bite of a mosquito. It is most often seen in birds and numbers of dead birds on the ground are often the first sign of a local outbreak. People can, in rare instances, also catch the virus through blood transfusions, organ transplants and sometimes in pregnancy, from mother to child.
Rare cases of West Nile and its complications can be deadly. Meningitis and serious, permanent neurological problems are two of the serious results of a WNV infection. People over the age of 50 are most at risk for a severe case of the virus.
The most effective preventative measure in the use of a mosquito repellent. The CDC has a list of effective ingredients to look for when purchasing a repellent.
Since mosquitoes are most active at dawn and dusk, avoid being outside at those times of day. Wear long sleeves and long pants to cover the arms and legs. Check your window screens for tears and use screens in every open window.
Finally, practice good sanitation around your home. Eliminate places where water is standing, and mosquitoes can lay their eggs. Persistent puddles, tires with water inside, old buckets or other containers that have water in them and even rain gutters that are not sloped well enough to drain are all breeding sites.
The WNV illness develops from 3-14 days after a bite. Fever, headache, stiff neck, rash and sore lymph nodes are some of the symptoms of the disease. Seek medical attention if you suspect you may be ill from West Nile virus.
There is no vaccine to prevent WNV in humans. There is one for horses. There is no cure for WNV. Anti viral drugs may reduce the severity of the illness, with additional supportive medical care.
The CDC website is a good place for additional information. New York State also has an informative site. Monroe County offers some additional information, including how to report a dead crow to them.
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