Who can get West Nile Virus infection
- People of any age can become infected with West Nile Virus (WNV), but severe disease is more common in people over 60 years of age.
- People with diseases that weaken the immune system are also higher risk.
Symptoms
- Most people (8 out of 10) develop no symptoms at all.
- About 1 in 5 people will develop symptoms and may have fever, headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea, or a rash. Most people with febrile illness due to WNV recover completely, but fatigue and weakness can last for weeks or months.
- About 1 in 150 people infected get severe disease affecting their central nervous system. Inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) or of lining around the brain and spinal cord (meningitis) can cause high fever, confusion, loss of consciousness, paralysis, convulsions, and vision loss.
- Recovery from severe may take weeks to months. About 1 in 10 of those with severe disease die.
Diagnosis & Treatment
- If you have symptoms talk to your healthcare provider who can order testing to look for WNV.
- There are no specific treatments for WNV.
Prevention
For additional information see on West Nile Virus and mosquito control see links below.
