West Nile Virus

West Nile Virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne virus that causes encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and/or meningitis (inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord). Outbreaks of WNV have occurred in Egypt, Asia, Israel, Africa, and some parts of Europe and Australia. The virus was first found in the U.S. in the fall of 1999 in New York City and has since spread nationwide.

Most horses bitten by carrier mosquitoes do not develop disease. Of those that do, approximately one-third develop severe disease and die or are so affected that euthanasia is required. The incubation period - or the time between the bite of an infected mosquito and when clinical signs appear ranges from three to 14 days. Although most horses do not usually develop clinical signs of WNV infection, horses that do become ill vary in symptoms from mild signs to serious and near death. Typical signs include muscle trembling; skin twitching; ataxia (incoordination, stumbling, limb weakness) that either appears suddenly or appears gradually and worsens; sleepiness; dullness; listlessness; facial paralysis (droopy eyelids, lower lip); difficulty with urination and defecation; and an inability to rise. Some horses may develop mild fevers, blindness, seizures, and other signs. WNV may cross the placenta from mother to gestating foal. Horses can not spread the disease to humans, but humans are susceptible to the disease if bitten by a carrier mosquito. No transfusion related horse illnesses have been reported. However, human to human transmission via blood transfusions has been confirmed, so this method of transmission is possible in horses.

the west nile virus was carried in mosquitoes. they would bite someone then move on through the states

Experts believe WNV is established as a seasonal epidemic in North America that flares up in the summer and continues into the fall.WNV is not spread through casual contact such as touching or kissing a person with the virus.In a very small number of cases, WNV also has been spread through blood transfusions, organ transplants, breastfeeding and even during pregnancy from mother to baby.Most often, WNV is spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. Mosquitoes become infected when they feed on infected birds. Infected mosquitoes can then spread WNV to humans and other animals when they bite

West Nile virus is spread by the bite of an infected mosquito, and can infect people, horses, many types of birds, and some other animals. Most people who become infected with West Nile virus will have either no symptoms or only mild ones. However, on rare occasions, West Nile virus infection can result in severe and sometimes fatal illnesses. There is no evidence to suggest that West Nile virus can be spread from person to person or from animal to person.

West Nile Virus usually has typical neurological symptoms. Such as an usual or weak gate, tremors, loss of coordination and balance. Initially though the horse may only be lethargic, have a fever, loss of appetite and a rapid pulse. It would be important to determine that these symptoms are not caused from other conditions such as Encephalitis and or EPM. Check out the related link below for more info.

There are relatively few cases of dogs and cats becoming infected with WNV.

West Nile Virus is caused by being bit by infected mosquitoes. Some people experience no symptoms, and for others, symptoms usually begin 2 to 15 days following a bite. The virus lasts anywhere from a few days to several weeks depending on the person.

West Nile encephalitis (inflammation of the brain); West Nile meningitis (inflammation of the meninges of the brain and spinal cord); or West Nile meningoencephalitis

no you cannot get west nile virus from intercourse, if you want more information on it go to http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/wnv_factsheet.htm

a few too many

A docton can confirm WNV by taking & analyzing blood tests. If it is a serious then a doctor may give you a Lumbar Puncture (spinial tap). This is when a needle is inserted in your lower spinial coard, and extracts fluids to test. Another way is Brain Imaging. in some cases, but not all, a CT or a MRI scan can reveal brain inflammatory and

Please add:

sometimes all of the above do not show a result. in my case it took three months for my blood work to finally show that I had WNV. Most doctors are under the belief of what you have stated as the only answer...thank goodness my doctor kept trying....

1,590 causes but 66 deaths

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Emphysema is one of the causes of club fingers. There are about 50 more diseases that do it too though.

west Nile virus

There is no Gram stain for the rabies virus - it does not pick up either the stain or the counter-stain and has no official Gram stain status like bacteria do. When scientists are looking at slides of brains to see if an animal was infected with rabies, they use a special immunofluorescent stain made of antibodies against the rabies virus linked to either a vividly colored pigment or a fluorescent pigment. If the rabies virus is present, the antibodies in the stain adhere to the viral particles and then the pigment becomes fixed to the tissue as well, allowing the pathologist to "see" the virus (actually just that the virus is present and approximately where it is at - the virus is too small to see with a standard light microscope).

Yes, cells eventually die as new ones are produced. I had the one of the worst types of West Nile; encephalitis (swelling of the brain).

This was concluded after the doctor ordered a spinal tap, and a year of thinking I had MS and numerous respiratory infections.

Symptoms; major give away is severe muscle weakness, joint, and muscle pain. I also had nausea for a week and dizziness.

I have it again, just recently found out. Once again, swollen lymph nodes, joint and muscle pain! This time after thinking I had Lupus.

Save the hassle of medications that mask the problem. I have friends that can't believe I healed, after years of having it, they're still experiencing symtoms.

Clean up your diet, no meat or foods that cause inflammation. Detox, saunas, empson salt baths, rest.

Vitamin c IV by a doctor, micro current treatment etc. I recommend IV of C 3x a week for the first month and a half if its bad.

Hang in there, things DO get better. I'm jumping on finding a new alternative doctor as I moved to a different state.

West Nile virus is primarily transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito. However transmission has also been documented through blood transfusions and from mother to baby through transplacental transmission and through breast feeding.

Prior to the mid-1990s, WNV disease occurred only sporadically and was considered a minor risk for humans, until an outbreak in Algeria in 1994, with cases of WNV-caused encephalitis, and the first large outbreak in Romania in 1996, with a high number of cases with neuroinvasive disease. WNV has now spread globally, with the first case in the Western Hemisphere being identified in New York City in 1999.

The virus is carried by mosquitos-- not too many of them around in the winter.

No it's not genetic, it's passed by mosquito's and flies that bite the horse and transfer the virus into the horses blood stream.

Wherever there is standing water misquitoes are atractted to that so never leave standing water out?

The exact mechanism of WNV-caused illnesses remains unclear. However, it is suspected that the virus enters the host's blood stream and multiples.