For the past few weeks, HMSL has been caring for a patient who tested positively for the West Nile virus. Hear from the patient’s wife and Dr. Sarfraz Aly in this news story covered by ABC 13.
This year mosquitoes in more than 300 sites in the county have tested positive for West Nile and there have been six confirmed human cases of West Nile in Harris County.
According to the CDC, here is what we can do to prevent West Nile and the symptoms to watch out for.
Prevention:
- Wear insect repellent
- Remove any standing water to reduce mosquitoes in the area
- Prevent mosquitoes from entering your home
Symptoms:
- No symptoms in most people. 8 out of 10 people infected with West Nile virus do not develop any symptoms.
- Febrile illness (fever) in some people. About 1 in 5 people who are infected develop a fever with other symptoms such as headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea, or rash. Most people with this type of West Nile virus disease recover completely, but fatigue and weakness can last for weeks or months.
- Serious symptoms in a few people. About 1 in 150 people who are infected develop a severe illness affecting the central nervous system such as encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) or meningitis (inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord).
- Symptoms of severe illness include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis.
- Severe illness can occur in people of any age; however, people over 60 years of age are at greater risk. People with certain medical conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, and people who have received organ transplants, are also at greater risk.
- Recovery from severe illness might take several weeks or months. Some effects to the central nervous system might be permanent.
- About 1 out of 10 people who develop severe illness affecting the central nervous system die.
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