West Nile Virus Research Paper

West Nile Virus has emerged in recent years throughout the temporate zones of Europe and North America. Causing a variety of conditions in its hosts, the most serious manifestation of WN virus infection is fatal encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) in humans and horses, and many birds.

Individuals with mild symptoms of West Nile Virus make up about twenty percent of the populations of infected humans. This form of the disease is known as West Nile Fever. The symptoms of West Nile Fever include: fever, headache, tiredness, body aches, nausea, vomiting, swollen lymph glands, and a skin rash appearing on the back, chest or stomach. A headache and high fever are the most common indicators for a West Nile Virus infection. These mild symptoms can last anywhere from a few days to several weeks. (California Government, 2005).

The incidence is highest in late summer and early autumn, until the first hard frost does away with the mosquito population for that year. Birds and other animals (such as horses) are the usual reservoir for the infection, and they are involved in its dissemination. Initial viral symptoms may give way to high fever and neck stiffness (meningeal signs). However, as with most forms of encephalitis, it is the confusion and depressed levels of consciousness (stupor) that mark the infection as being of the brain (encephalitis) and not just the meninges. West Nile Virus is an acute central nervous disease (McCance & Huether, 2014).

The West Nile Virus is a virus that people can get from an infected mosquito bite. This virus disappeared and no one heard much of many people getting the virus for about 20 years. In the 1990´s there was a big comeback on the rise for the West Nile Virus. That also consisted of the infected bugs slowly but surely making their way to America from Africa, the Native country to this virus (Phillip).

Lower return crops such as corn, wheat, cotton and rice will bear the brunt of this whereas the higher return crops such as nuts, citrus and vine crops will be least affected (Kowalski, 2015).

The main point of the press release is to notify the public that the West Nile Virus has surfaced and is active. One of the sub-points is to inform the public of the current case and the number of cases over the years of people who have been infected with the West Nile Virus. Another sub-point is to give the description and signs of the West Nile Virus. Another sub-point is to notify the public where the West Nile Virus is coming from. Another sub-point what is causing the mosquitoes to breed and how to prevent the breeding of the mosquitoes to notify the public that there are two types of West Nile Virus. The West Nile encephalitis and the West Nile poliomyelitis are the two viruses the press release also notified the public of the signs and symptoms of the west Nile virus. What to do and who to contact once bitten the press release gives a statistic of number of cases from 2002 to 2011 (2012). The press release also notifies the public who is at the highest risk to becoming ill with this type of virus. The press release also gives other website to seek out more information regarding the West Nile Virus.

In New Mexico, we started off with 47 West Nile cases in the year 2012, in the year 2013 there were 38 cases, and in the year 2014 there 24 cases were identified (CDC, n.d.). With these CDC statistics, it can be said that both Epidemiologists and Public Health Professionals are doing an adequate job of educating and preventing further West Nile cases. There are also tools such as the CDC website that give information on how to prevent people from catching West Nile. No new information has been learned about the virus and viral transmission. However, a few small amount of cases have shown human infection which consisted of the

West Niles Virus is a virus that is transmitted from mosquito to aves and mammals via infected mosquito bites and is prevalent within most of the Continental United States. It is reported that, “40 states have recorded cases of West Nile Virus” (Jolly par. 4). The complications with mosquito bites is problematic because of the spread of disease is due to the infected mosquitos and there is a need to implement a control systems to decreased swarms of mosquitos, in particular within Maricopa County. This cause is important because I have recently been diagnosed as having West Niles Virus. There is no current vaccination for humans against the West Niles Virus, the only way to reduce chances of contracting the virus would be through prevention

What is West Nile Fever? West Nile fever also known as West Nile virus is a mosquito borne disease transferred from mosquito to person. Encephalitis is a disease that West nile virus can cause. What encephalitis does is it causes inflammation of the brain which in some cases can be fatal. The west Nile virus wasn’t discovered until 1937 in Africa. The disease didn’t make its way into the United States until 1999. The Virus is most common during the summer months (July- September) which is when mosquitos the carrier of the disease are most active. But in some states it is at risk all year round. Most people who are bitten and infected even receive the virus.

West Nile Virus is a viral disease that is transmitted by mosquitos. West Nile is a virus that reacts very differently depending on the person that is infected with it. In fact, most people do not ever develop symptoms after being infected by the West Nile Virus via a mosquito bite. That means 70-80% of all people are asymptomatic after contracting this disease (Centers for Disease Control Website, 2015). That is a large number of people that do not present with any symptoms which to me that means this is a vastly under reported disease. If the person happens to be one of the unlucky 20% that dose present with symptoms then there is a wide range that this patient can present with. Most people that present with symptoms are going to have flu like symptoms things like Headache, fever, joint pain, diarrhea, and vomiting (Centers for Disease Control Website, 2015). When West Nile Virus is suspected then appropriate testing is ordered which is one of two ways either by blood test, or by cerebral spinal fluid (Centers for Disease Control Website, 2015)

Those who have WNV will not show any signs or symptoms. About 20% of people will develop a mild infection called West Nile Fever and will experience fever, headache, body ache, vomiting, diarrhea, and skin rash (West Nile Virus). If WNV gets severe many issues can occur to the infected. A very small percentage of infected people suffer from neurological infection, including inflammation of brain (encephalitis) and of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord (meningitis) (West Nile Virus). These signs include high fever, severe headache, stiff neck, disorientation, coma, muscle jerking, seizures, and partial paralysis. The difference of how mild or severe WNV can affect you temporarily or sustain permanent damage.

On the eighth of June at dog shelter in Midland, Texas three dogs started to have foam coming out of their ears while their eyes turned a glowing neon green with a slimy gel coming out of their mouths. The manager of the shelter tried to quarantine the dogs, but it was too late. The virus was already spread throughout the whole facility. The contamination is now known as the Medusa Virus because once a person looks into the eyes of a contaminated person or animal they will then contract the disease. People can also be contaminated if they are bitten or scratched by a person with the disease. Fortunately my family and I escaped but others were not as lucky as we were. When I came across this disease I decide to survive this apocalypse I would need beef jerky, a water purifier and machete.

The most sophisticated way may be to avoid the mosquitos altogether. According to the World Health Organization More than a handful governments and pharmaceutical companies are working on a vaccine for Zika. Some are hunting old-fashioned vaccines, like the ones used to protect from measles and chicken pox; these vaccines stimulate the body's immune response by exposing it to a faded version of the virus or just simply to the molecules from a virus that cause the body to produce antibodies. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) mentioned that by following the blueprint used to create a vaccine for the mosquito-borne West Nile virus would be a cheaper and faster way around it. That technique relies on injecting DNA particles — normally found inside the cells of a bacteria — that are separated from a cell's DNA and can duplicate by itself. DNA molecules (plasmids) have the advantage of carrying the DNA code for their virus' antigens, without being contagious, therefore stimulating the body's autoimmune response. So far, the plasmid-based West Nile virus vaccine was successful in its early experimental tests.

The signs and symptoms of encephalitis are really dependent on how severe the disease has become. Mild symptoms are very similar to the flu. If the person even has symptoms at all. Some people never have any signs of encephalitis. Symptoms could include headache, nausea, vomiting, fever, joint pain, and lethargy. The severe infections symptoms could cause confusion, hallucinations, personality changes, seizures, loss of sensation, LOC, rash, and tremors. If the any adult or child is experiencing these symptoms they should seek medical attention immediately. (Mayo Clinic, 2011)

After transmission, there are many different symptoms Rift Valley fever can cause when infecting its host. Not only can they differ between humans and animals, but within those units individuals can experience a wide variety of symptoms ranging from those as mild as headaches and nausea to those more extreme such as meningitis and death.