West Nile virus infects humans across the country
Quick View. Sept. 10, 2007.
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/2007/09/10/hlca0910.htm
So far this year, most states west of the Mississippi are reporting higher
numbers of West Nile virus cases than those in the East.
The following incidence data for 2007, as reported to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention through the ArboNET system, include both the
mild and severe human cases of West Nile virus occurring from Jan. 1 to Aug.
14. (Case reports are still being collected for the rest of the calendar
year.) ArboNET is a national, electronic surveillance system established by
the CDC to assist states in tracking West Nile virus and other
mosquito-borne illnesses. Thus far, 31% of the total 444 cases were
neuroinvasive disease. More details and updates are available online (
www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile)
.
Why so serious
The CDC notes that the high proportion of neuroinvasive diseases cases among
reported cases of West Nile virus disease reflects surveillance reporting
bias. Serious cases are more likely to be reported than are mild ones. Also,
the system is not designed to detect asymptomatic infections. Data from
population-based surveys indicate that among all people who become infected
with West Nile virus, fewer than 1% will develop severe neuroinvasive
disease. The breakdown:
West Nile encephalitis and meningitis: Severe forms of the disease that
affect a person's nervous system have occurred most often in California (32
cases), South Dakota (19), Colorado (10) and Arizona (10).
West Nile fever: This typically less-severe form shows no evidence of
neuroinvasion. It is still considered a notifiable disease; however, the
number of reported cases may be limited by whether the affected people seek
care, whether lab diagnosis is ordered and the extent to which physicians
report cases to health authorities. Highest tallies are California (51),
Colorado (62), South Dakota (43) and North Dakota (44).
Other clinical/unspecified cases: In some fairly rare instances, West Nile
virus does not manifest in either of the two forms described above. The
category of "other clinical" includes cases that take forms such as acute
flaccid paralysis. "Unspecified" covers those cases for which sufficient
clinical information was not provided. Cases in this category were reported
by Arizona (2), California (3), Georgia (1), Illinois (1) and Wyoming (2).
Comparison with 2006
Last year, 34% of the 4,269 total cases occurring between Jan. 1, 2006, and
Dec. 31, 2006, were neuroinvasive -- encephalitis or meningitis. Sixty-one
percent were reported as West Nile fever. The remaining 5% were clinically
unspecified.
Source: Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, Aug. 14
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http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2007/09/10/hlca0910.htm
West Nile Virus: Prevention Is Better Than Cure
News Locale, India - Sep 1, 2007
This year the West Nile Virus season has been called the worst one in United
States. Although summer is drawing to a close the threat posed by
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