How West Nile Virus Affects Most People
By: Charlotte Ames
Updated: August 24, 2012
The Centers for Disease Control says we're in the midst of one of the largest West Nile Virus outbreaks ever seen in the United States. Forty-seven states including Pennsylvania have reported West Nile infections in people, birds or mosquitoes.
West Nile Virus is most often spread when an infected mosquito bites you. If you're bitten and infected, it takes about 3 to 14 days for you to become ill.
Most people never get sick, but if you do the symptoms can vary from a mild infection that can include fever and body aches to, in rare cases, severe brain and spinal cord infections.
Dr. Adarsj Bhimraj is a West Nile Virus expert at the Cleveland Clinic. He says "even in those people who get the infection, 80% or 4 out of 5 people will not have any symptoms and they'll do okay and about 20% of them get sick, out of which do, less than 1% get severe disease that is disease which is severe enough to go to your brain."
If you think you've developed a serious West Nile Virus infection and you have a severe headache, muscle weakness or paralysis, you should seek medical help immediately.
Dr.Bhimraj says you don't need to become paranoid about mosquito bites but be cautious when you're outside. Eliminating standing water around your house will destroy potential mosquito breeding grounds. Use window screens and cover your skin in repellent or clothing, especially at dawn or dusk.
He says people with suppressed immune systems, such as transplant patients, are most at risk from the West Nile virus.
West Nile Virus is most often spread when an infected mosquito bites you. If you're bitten and infected, it takes about 3 to 14 days for you to become ill.
Most people never get sick, but if you do the symptoms can vary from a mild infection that can include fever and body aches to, in rare cases, severe brain and spinal cord infections.
Dr. Adarsj Bhimraj is a West Nile Virus expert at the Cleveland Clinic. He says "even in those people who get the infection, 80% or 4 out of 5 people will not have any symptoms and they'll do okay and about 20% of them get sick, out of which do, less than 1% get severe disease that is disease which is severe enough to go to your brain."
If you think you've developed a serious West Nile Virus infection and you have a severe headache, muscle weakness or paralysis, you should seek medical help immediately.
Dr.Bhimraj says you don't need to become paranoid about mosquito bites but be cautious when you're outside. Eliminating standing water around your house will destroy potential mosquito breeding grounds. Use window screens and cover your skin in repellent or clothing, especially at dawn or dusk.
He says people with suppressed immune systems, such as transplant patients, are most at risk from the West Nile virus.
Charlotte Ames is the area's only local Health Reporter and brings you the latest medical health news weeknights. You can catch Healthcast on WTAJ News at 5:00pm and her Health Headlines report on WTAJ News at 5:30pm.