NEWS – Kerala’s health department recently reported West Nile fever cases in three districts

WEST NILE FEVER

Caused by West Nile Virus (WNV)

• Viral Origin: WNV is a flavivirus belonging to the Japanese encephalitis antigenic complex within the Flaviviridae family.
• Natural Hosts: Birds serve as the primary hosts for WNV, with widespread prevalence in regions like Africa, Europe, the Middle East, North America, and West Asia.
• Human Impact: WNV can lead to severe neurological diseases in humans, posing a significant health threat.

Transmission and Spread

• Mosquito-Borne: The primary mode of transmission to humans is through infected mosquito bites, as mosquitoes acquire the virus by feeding on infected birds.
• Limited Human-to-Human Spread: Unlike some viruses, there is no conclusive evidence supporting direct human-to-human transmission of WNV, although rare cases have been reported through organ transplants.

Symptoms and Disease Manifestation

• Asymptomatic Cases: Many individuals infected with WNV exhibit no symptoms.
• Mild Symptoms: Common symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, body aches, nausea, vomiting, skin rash, and swollen lymph glands.
• Severe Disease: Neuroinvasive forms, such as West Nile encephalitis or meningitis, can lead to serious symptoms like high fever, neck stiffness, confusion, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, and paralysis.

Current Treatment and Management

• No Specific Treatment: There is currently no specific medicine or vaccine available for WNV.
• Supportive Care: Treatment primarily focuses on supportive measures such as hospitalization, intravenous fluids, respiratory support, and prevention of secondary infections.