West Nile Virus – What You Need to Know

West Nile Virus

West Nile virus is a dangerous and possibly life-threatening illness that is spread by infected mosquitoes. The disease is most commonly carried by birds. The mosquito acquires the virus by biting an infected bird, and then spreads it to all the other creatures it subsequently bites. While the virus has no effect on the mosquito, humans and many animals are highly susceptible to it.

The Effects of West Nile Virus

The main symptoms of West Nile virus are high fever accompanied by chills, excessive sweating, drowsiness, headaches, and pain in the joints. In some cases, if the virus has infected the digestive system, the victim may experience loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. In particularly severe cases the virus can damage the nervous system, leading to encephalitis, meningitis, or  mengoenecphalitis – essentially, inflammation of the brain, spinal cord, or both. Such inflammations can lead to loss of consciousness and, in extremely severe cases, a coma.

Preventing West Nile Virus

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you live in an area with a dense mosquito population, you are at much greater risk of getting West Nile Virus. If you are going to be outside in the evening, you should always wear long pants and long sleeves, and use a bug spray. However, those are only temporary solutions. The only long-term solution to preventing West Nile virus is to get rid of your mosquito population. The best way to do this is to remove standing water around your house, and use a non-toxic barrier spray. As a bonus, the barrier spray will also limit the population of ticks, and other disease-carrying pests.

West Nile Virus – What You Need to Know first appeared on http://backyardbugpatrol.com.