West Nile Virus | Burning Issues | PDF Download

WEST NILE VIRUS

• The Centre has sent a team to Kerala, where a seven-year-old boy from Malappuram district has tested positive for the West Nile virus.
• The team will review the situation and also help the state in management of the infection, a government press release said
• The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is closely monitoring the situation and extended support to Kerala in prevention and management of West Nile Virus.
• Currently, there are no reports available for spread of Nile Virus in other parts of the country.
• West Nile virus (WNV) is a single-stranded RNA(ribonucleic acid) virus that causes West Nile fever.
• Notable human diseases caused by RNA viruses include Ebola hemorrhoragic fever, SARS, Rabies, common cold, influenza, hepatitis C, West Nile fever, polio and measles.
• West Nile Virus (WNV) is a member of the flavivirus genus and belongs to the Japanese encephalitis antigenic complex of the family Flaviviridae.
• West Nile Virus (WNV) can cause neurological disease and death in people. WNV is 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.

WEST NILE VIRUS: TRANSMISSION CYCLE

• The West Nile Virus is mainly transmitted to human beings by the bite of an infected mosquito.
• Mosquitoes catch virus when they feed on infected birds and then they spread the virus to people and other animals by biting them.
• A very small proportion of infection transmission occurred through organ transplant, blood transfusions and breast milk. Fortunately, there has been no human-to-human transmission of WNV through casual contact so far.

EPIDEMIOLOGY AND HISTORY

• The virus was discovered in Uganda in 1937 and was first detected in North America in 1999.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

• Infection with WNV is either asymptomatic (no symptoms) in around 80% of infected people, or can lead to West Nile fever or severe West Nile disease.
• About 20% of people who become infected with WNV will develop West Nile fever. Symptoms include fever, headache, tiredness, and body aches, nausea, vomiting, occasionally with a skin rash (on the trunk of the body) and swollen lymph glands.

PREVENTION

• There is no human vaccine.
• The best method to reduce the risk of infections is avoiding mosquito bites.
• This may be done by eliminating standing pools of water, such as in old tires, buckets, gutters, and swimming pools.

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