What is west nile virus?

West Nile virus is an infection spread to humans by mosquitoes. Most people who get the virus don't get sick. But when symptoms do occur, they appear 2 to 14 days after the bite and include fever, headache, body aches, and sometimes a skin rash. It's usually a mild illness. In rare cases, West Nile virus may affect the brain, causing serious illness that can lead to long-lasting problems.

There is usually no specific treatment for the West Nile virus. Your body has to fight the infection on its own. In mild cases of West Nile, symptoms usually last for 3 to 6 days, and you can recover at home. If you get a more severe case of West Nile, symptoms can last for weeks or months, and you may need to stay in the hospital so you can get medicine to help you recover.

Most people have no symptoms. But some may have a fever, a headache, fatigue, body aches, or a rash. These usually start 2 to 14 days after a bite from an infected mosquito. In severe cases, West Nile can cause confusion, seizures, paralysis, and coma.

There is no treatment for West Nile. Your body just has to fight the infection on its own. If you have a mild case, you can recover at home. Be sure to drink enough fluids and get lots of rest. You may also want to take medicine to reduce pain or fever. You may feel well enough to keep doing your normal activities. Ask your doctor if you need to stay home.

If you have severe West Nile, you may need to stay in a hospital so you can get treatment to help your body fight the illness. You may get fluids given through a vein (intravenous, or I.V.) and get help preventing other illnesses such as pneumonia. If you have severe trouble breathing, a machine called a ventilator may be used to help you breathe. You also may be given medicine to help with pain or fever.

You can contact your local health department for the latest information on West Nile virus in your area. It's also a good idea to take steps to lower your risk of getting mosquito bites:

• Use insect repellent when you go outdoors in the late spring, summer, and early fall.
• Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants if you know that you will be in areas with lots of mosquitoes or where you know West Nile virus has been found.
• Do not leave puddles or open containers of water near your house. Mosquitoes breed in standing water.
• Stay indoors at dawn, at dusk, and in the early evening when mosquitoes are the most active.

There is no vaccine to prevent West Nile virus in humans, but researchers are working to develop one.

If your doctor thinks that you may have West Nile, they will ask questions to find out when you were bitten by a mosquito and what symptoms you have.

The doctor may also test your blood for antibodies to the virus. The antibodies can show if you have had a recent West Nile infection. The antibodies don't always appear right away, so your doctor may test your blood again in a couple of weeks.

You may also have other tests, such as:

• A spinal tap (lumbar puncture) to look for antibodies or other signs of the virus in the fluid that surrounds your brain and spinal cord.
• An MRI scan, which makes pictures of your brain. This scan is done to find out if you have encephalitis.

• If you have symptoms, take an over-the-counter pain medicine, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), or naproxen (Aleve). Read and follow all instructions on the label.
• Do not take two or more pain medicines at the same time unless the doctor told you to. Many pain medicines have acetaminophen, which is Tylenol. Too much acetaminophen (Tylenol) can be harmful.
• Get plenty of rest. You may feel well enough to continue your normal activities.
• Try to be patient while you are recovering. It may take several weeks or months to recover fully.

Most often, mosquitoes spread the virus by biting birds infected with the virus and then biting people.

Mosquitoes can also spread the virus to other animals, such as horses. But you can't get West Nile from these animals or from touching or kissing an infected person.

West Nile can spread through an organ transplant or a blood transfusion. That rarely happens in the United States, though, because all donated blood and organs for transplant are screened to see if the virus is present.

West Nile virus is a type of virus that is spread by mosquitoes. The infection it causes may be so mild that people don't even know they have it. But in rare cases, West Nile leads to severe illness that affects the brain or spinal cord. People older than 50 are at the highest risk for serious problems from West Nile.

Most people fully recover from West Nile. But some people who get a severe infection have permanent problems such as seizures, memory loss, and brain damage. A few people die from it.