WEST NILE VIRUS FACTS AND MORE

 

What are the signs of West Nile virus infection?
Most people (about 80%) who are infected with the virus do not develop any signs of illness. In people who do develop signs of illness, the illness is usually very mild, flu-like and goes away on its own. The signs of the illness are: fever, headaches, weakness, joint and muscle pain, conjunctivitis, rash, and sometimes Nausea and diarrhea.

Possible rare complications (less than 1% of those infected) are acute inflammation of the brain or meningitis, rarely the disease ends in death, especially in the elderly and people with a damaged immune system. It must be remembered that this population, especially with other diseases in the background, is in danger of complications even from "routine" diseases such as the flu or pneumonia.
 

How should a person who has the symptoms of the disease behave?
Similar signs of illness can also appear in other diseases, therefore, in the case of a febrile illness with suspicious signs of illness that appear 2 to 14 days after a bite, you should contact the doctor treating the community for diagnosis and advice.
 

What to do if I get stung?
Most of the mosquitoes found in Israel are not infected with the virus, so not every bite poses a risk of developing a disease. In the case of a bite, you should act like any other bite. If necessary, a substance that soothes the itch can be applied to the site of the bite. In the event of an acute allergic reaction or secondary infection, consult a doctor if, 2 to 14 days after the bite, a flu-like fever develops.
 

What is the incubation period of the disease?
The incubation period, from the moment of the bite until the development of the signs of the disease is 2 to 14 days (usually 6 days).
 

When did the disease first appear in Israel?
The disease has been widespread in Israel for many years. The first documentation of West Nile fever, as an outbreak, was recorded in Israel in the years 1950 - 1954 and in 1957 a second outbreak was also recorded in the late 1970s and 1980s. Increased activity of the virus was recorded. In 1997 the disease was diagnosed in poultry. A year later in a large-scale outbreak, in 2000 there was an outbreak in Israel with over 400 cases of the disease. From 2001 until today, dozens of cases have been diagnosed every year.
 

Is it possible to contract the disease throughout the year?
West Nile fever is a seasonal disease, which occurs mainly from late summer to late autumn. The period of peak activity of the virus in Israel is between mid-August and mid-October. In the other months of the year, isolated cases were recorded in the winter months, there may be cases in the southern Araba region.
 

[ME:  HOWEVER WE ARE SEEING IT NOW BECAUSE OF THE DAMP, HOT, STEAMY WEATHER]

How is the disease transmitted?
The virus is mainly transmitted by mosquitoes of the genus Culex (the "normal" mosquito). The tiger-day mosquito ("the Asian tiger") can also transmit the virus, but is not considered the main transmitter of the disease. The female mosquitoes become infected with the virus when they feed on infected animals, mainly poultry. In a process that lasts several days, the virus moves to the salivary glands. Such a female mosquito carrying the virus in its salivary glands will transmit to humans and other animals during additional blood meals.