West Nile is a virus caused by a bite from a mosquito that is infected. The most common time of year for mosquitoes to bite in the majority of our states is July through September. This has turned out to be a serious concern in the United States as the recorded of recorded cases of West Nile is about 700 with 26 deaths as of August 2012. Now, don’t freak out. Not all mosquitoes are infected with the virus. But it is important to take precautions and be aware of this the existence of West Nile. Symptoms vary, depending on the immune system of the person infected. However, common symptoms include fever, headaches, body aches, fatigue, skin rash (occasionally), swollen lymph glands (occasionally), and eye pain (occasionally). Some of the more severe symptoms may include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis. If these severe symptoms occur, it is important to seek medical attention immediately. Prevention of this disease is quite difficult because the main precaution is simply preventing mosquito bites, which often cannot be controlled. West Nile has potential to be a very severe and serious disease, but the Center for Disease Control is working on new ways to prevent this disease.
Carly Speed
McMoments 