West Nile Virus
Alternate Names : Flavivirus, West Nile Encephalitis, West Nile Meningitis
What are the signs and symptoms of the infection?
Most people who become infected with West Nile virus have no symptoms. For people
who do develop symptoms, most will be mild and can include:
fever
headache
body aches
skin rash
swollen glands
These symptoms generally last less than a week. Many people do have ongoing fatigue
for a longer period.
Less than 1% of infected people may develop a more serious illness.
Among this very small number, there is a 3 to 15% rate of death. Most of those who are
at risk of dying are adults over the age of 65.
Symptoms of West Nile encephalitis include:
headache
high fever
muscle weakness
stiff neck
mental status changes
nausea and vomiting
coma
tremors
paralysis
seizures
A small number of cases of West Nile encephalitis have been fatal. This has been most common in
the elderly.
|
Previous section
