WEST NILE FEVER - SCI
& TECH
News: Kerala West Nile fever cases:
Health department on alert, issues directives to take mosquito control measures
What's in the news?
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Kerala's health department has reported West Nile
fever cases in three districts.
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The state government has ordered all districts to
be vigilant and issued directives to take mosquito control measures by stepping
up pre-monsoon cleaning drives and surveillance activities.
West Nile Fever:
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It is a disease caused by the West Nile Virus (WNV).
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WNV is a member of the flavivirus genus and belongs to the Japanese encephalitis antigenic
complex of the family Flaviviridae.
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Birds are the natural hosts of WNV.
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The virus is commonly found in Africa, Europe, the
Middle East, North America, and West Asia.
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It can cause a deadly
neurological disease in humans.
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It is named after the West Nile district of Uganda, where it was first identified
in 1937.
Transmission:
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It is most commonly spread to people by the bite of an infected mosquito. The
mosquitoes get the virus when they bite an infected bird.
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There is no
evidence that WNV can be spread directly from one person to another.
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But there have been a few cases where it has spread
through organ transplants.
Symptoms:
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Most people infected by the virus are asymptomatic (no symptoms).
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Symptoms include fever, headache, tiredness, body
aches, nausea, vomiting, occasional skin rash, and swollen lymph glands.
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The symptoms of severe disease (also called neuroinvasive
disease, such as West Nile encephalitis or meningitis or West Nile
poliomyelitis) include headache, high fever, neck stiffness, stupor
(near-unconsciousness), disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle
weakness, and paralysis.
Treatment:
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There is no
medicine or vaccine available against the WNV.
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Treatment is based on supportive care involving
hospitalisation, intravenous fluids, respiratory support, and prevention of
secondary infections.