West Nile Virus Has Been Detected In All 5 Boroughs–Here’s What You Need To Know
One thing we all dread in the summertime is the endlessly itchy mosquito bites, and this summer you’re going to want to load up on the bug spray more than ever before as West Nile Virus has been detected in all five NYC boroughs.
From how you can contract it to what symptoms you should keep an eye on, here’s everything you need to know about West Nile virus:
What is West Nile virus?
West Nile Virus (WNV) is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the continental U.S. and can cause neurological disease and sometimes even death in people. It’s commonly found in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, North America, and West Asia.
WNV is maintained in nature in a cycle involving transmission between birds and mosquitoes. Humans, horses and other mammals can be infected.
How do you get West Nile virus?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), humans can possibly contract West Nile virus from being bitten by a mosquito who has fed on infected birds. The virus eventually gets into the mosquito’s salivary glands which then may be injected into humans and animals when they bite you.
The virus may also be transmitted through contact with other infected animals, their blood, or other tissues.
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Which mosquito causes West Nile virus?
Though any infected mosquito can transmit WNV, mosquitoes of the genus Culex are generally considered the principal vectors, in particular Cx. Pipiens.
When is the typical West Nile virus season in NYC?
According to the NYC Health Department, West Nile season in NYC occurs between May and October.
What are the odds of getting the West Nile virus?
According to Web MD, the chances of getting West Nile virus from a mosquito bite are slim as even in areas where the virus is circulating very few mosquitoes are infected with the virus.
Even if the mosquito is infected, less than 1% of people who get bitten and become infected will get severely ill.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
When do the first signs of the West Nile virus appear?
If you get bitten by a mosquito with West Nile, symptoms will usually appear between three and fifteen days after the bite.
What are the symptoms of West Nile virus?
About 20% of people who become infected with WNV will develop West Nile fever. Symptoms include:
- Fever
- Headache
- Tiredness
- Body aches
- Nausea & vomiting
- Skin rash (on the trunk of the body)
- Swollen lymph glands
1 in 150 persons infected with the West Nile virus will develop a more severe form of disease, also called neuroinvasive disease, such as West Nile encephalitis or meningitis or West Nile poliomyelitis. These symptoms include:
- Headache
- High fever
- Neck stiffness
- Stupor
- Disorientation
- Coma
- Tremors
- Convulsions
- Muscle weakness
- Numbness and paralysis
However, approximately 80% of infected people don’t show any symptoms.
How do you diagnose West Nile virus?
The WHO writes that West Nile virus can be diagnosed with a number of different tests, including:
- IgG antibody sero-conversion (or significant increase in antibody titers) in two serial specimen collected at a one week interval by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
- IgM antibody capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
- Neutralisation assays
- Vviral detection by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay
- Virus isolation by cell culture
How do you treat West Nile virus?
There is typically no treatment for West Nile–most people who become infected will get better on their own.
However, patients with neuroinvasive West Nile virus require close monitoring, according to the CDC, and may need to be hospitalized to receive intravenous fluids, respiratory support, and prevention of secondary infections.
Can West Nile be transmitted person to person?
A very small proportion of human infections have occurred through organ transplant, blood transfusions, and breast milk, but, to date, no human-to-human transmission of WNV through casual contact has been documented.
Who is most likely to get very sick from the West Nile virus?
The more severe form of the virus can occur in people of any age, however people over the age of 50 and some immunocompromised persons (for example, transplant patients) are at the highest risk for getting severely ill when infected with WNV.
Can my pet be infected?
The NYS Department of Health writes that pets occasionally get WNV from mosquito bites, but they very rarely get sick.
Horses are more susceptible to serious illness from WNV than are dogs and cats, however, a vaccine is available for them.
Is there a vaccine for West Nile virus?
Though vaccines are available for use in horses, they’re not yet available for people.
How do you reduce the risk of contracting West Nile virus?
To reduce the risk of contracting WNV, people are encouraged to protect themselves against mosquito bites in the first place by doing the following:
- Using mosquito nets
- Using EPA-registered insect repellents with one of the following active ingredients:
- DEET
- Picaridin (known as KBR 3023 and icaridin outside the United States)
- IR3535
- Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE)—A plant-derived ingredient
- Para-menthane-diol (PMD)
- 2-undecanone—A plant-derived ingredient
- Wearing light colored clothing (particularly long-sleeved shirts and pants)
- Avoiding outdoor activity at peak biting times (around dusk and dawn)
- Wearing gloves and other protective clothing when handling sick animals or their tissues
What is NYC doing to control mosquitos?
The NYC Health Department monitors mosquito populations and applies pesticides during the summer, reducing the number of mosquitoes and lessening the risk of mosquito-borne diseases. The next scheduled events are as follows:
- Monday, July 22: Mosquito Spraying in Staten Island (ZIP Codes: 10301, 10302, 10310 and 10314)
- Wednesday, July 24: Mosquito Spraying in Staten Island (ZIP Codes: 10307, 10309, 10312, and 10314)
You can learn more about West Nile virus here.
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