The West Nile virus is spread from mosquito bites, making it one of many diseases that mosquitoes carry. The virus was first found in North America in 1999 and has spread to the lower forty-eight states and across Canada. It can cause encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain.

How the Virus Spreads

Mosquitoes carry the virus and pass it along to birds, animals, and humans. For humans, the virus is passed along through a bite from an infected mosquito. Once the human is infected, the virus can be passed along through blood transfusions, organ transplants, and mother-to-child through the placenta or breast milk.

Not every breed of mosquito carries the virus, but the average person will not be able to tell the differences between mosquitoes. Therefore, it is best to protect everyone from all mosquitoes.

Reducing Mosquito Population

Mosquitoes lay their eggs in stagnant water, in weeds and tall grass, or in objects like abandoned tires and empty planters. The best thing a person can do to reduce the mosquito population is to reduce the number of places for them to breed.

Most important is eliminating any standing water. Even a small area can be the breeding ground of over 1000 mosquitoes per egg laying. Dispose of any containers that hold standing water. If recycling bins are kept outdoors, make sure they have holes in the bottom so rain water can not accumulate. And outdoor trash cans should be kept covered. Turn over things like wading pools and wheelbarrows when not in use. Bird bath water should be changed every few days. And if there is a pond on the property, stock it with fish.

Symptoms

If a person is bitten by a mosquito, the symptoms of West Nile include fever, headache, body aches, skin rash, and swollen lymph nodes. The symptoms are usually mild and last a few days. There is no vaccine for West Nile virus. Most people recover fully and are treated in the same method used for influenza. Severe cases might require hospitalization.

Prevent West Nile virus by using insect repellant, wear body-covering clothes, and eliminate mosquito breeding grounds.