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Encephalitis (West Nile)

Encephalitis (West Nile)
Disease characteristics

West Nile disease is a viral infection that causes encephalitis. There are mosquitoes as disease-carrying insects and birds are sources of disease nests. Infections are also found in many vertebrates such as horses, cats, bats, squirrels, rabbits and people.

Cause

Caused by the virus Arbovirus is classified in the family Flaviviridae. There are many types of mosquitoes that are disease-carrying insects such as Culex., Aedes., Anophele.,s Ochlerotatus. etc., but are found mostly in Culex mosquitoes.

Contact method

West Nile Virus (WNV) transmission occurs naturally between birds (non-human primary vertebrate host) and mosquitoes (primary arthropod vectors). mosquito When a mosquito bites a bird That bird will be infected. can cause sickness and death The transmission cycle of the virus circulates between birds and mosquitoes. Until when there are mammals such as horses, people accidentally come in close contact with mosquitoes.

When a mosquito bites a horse or person, WNV is transmitted to the horse or person. make a horse or a person sick But people and horses are no longer transmitted, so horses are accidental hosts or dead-end hosts, and there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission. or from animal to animal

Incubation period

about 3-15 days

Signs and symptoms

The most common symptoms are fever, headache, body aches, and possibly a red rash on the skin. Most infected people have no symptoms. Less than 1% of patients may have severe symptoms. The virus attacks the brain and central nervous system. causing meningitis or encephalitis Patients will have headache, high fever, stiff neck, tremors, seizures, muscle weakness, paralysis, lethargy, confusion, and loss of consciousness until death.

Treatment

There is currently no specific treatment and no vaccine to prevent it. Provide symptomatic treatment and general supportive care. and watch out for complications such as pneumonia and urinary tract infection