The man is infected with the Jamestown Canyon virus.This is what you need to know about illness

Authorities confirmed that a man in New Jersey tested positive for the rare mosquito-borne disease Jamestown Canyon Virus (JCV).

New Jersey Health Department (NJDOH) Announcement On Wednesday, a Sussex County resident in his 60s tested positive for JCV after showing fever and other neurological symptoms in May. He was discharged from the hospital last week to the Long-Term Care Rehabilitation Center NorthJersey.com. report, Quoted from Ministry of Health spokeswoman Donna Roysner.

The man had never traveled before he became ill, suggesting that he was more likely to be infected near his home, the outlet said.

So far, the man is only the second reported case of illness in New Jersey, according to NJDOH. He is also the first case of a mosquito-borne infection in the state in 2021.

What is the Jamestown Canyon Virus?

that is rare Emerging infectious disease transmitted through a bite mosquito.. JCV was first identified in 1961 by mosquitoes in Jamestown Canyon, Colorado, and is found in many parts of the United States.

According to NJDOH, it is widely distributed in North America, but it occurs mainly between deer and mosquitoes. However, humans can also be infected with it.

Many people infected with the virus get nothing Symptomatology However, those who develop them can experience fatigue, fever, and headaches. You may also develop a sore throat, runny nose, and cough.

JCV, although rare, can also cause serious illness and can lead to brain infections (encephalitis) or inner layers of the brain (meningitis), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). .. OK..

Prevention of JCV

There are no JCV drugs and no vaccines. Preventing mosquito bites is the main way to prevent people from being bitten by mosquitoes.

“Spend outdoors, such as walking, gardening, and playing with dogs, is a good way to stay healthy, but take steps to prevent bites from mosquitoes and ticks that cause some diseases in New Jersey. It’s important to take that, “health commissioner Judith Persicily said in a NJDOH news release. “When you enjoy the outdoors, use an EPA-registered insect repellent, cover your skin with clothing if possible, check yourself and your pet for mites, and don’t forget to remove them quickly with tweezers. Please give me.”

Persichilli may also suspect a mosquito or tick-borne disease if they or anyone they know develops flu-like symptoms, as their symptoms may resemble those of COVID-19. I advised the public to let the health care provider know. Apart from JCV, state residents may also be at risk for other mosquito-borne diseases such as West Nile virus.

US JCV

According to the CDC average Of the 15 JCV cases reported annually in the United States, there are also “serious” underreporting and underdiagnosis of less severe cases.

NJDOH said that reports of human cases of such JCV have increased in recent years, citing increased awareness and testing of the disease.

“The recently reported increase in cases is likely to reflect increased awareness and testing, but may also be due to increased incidence,” the CDC said.

In 2014, 2015 and 2016, there were only 6, 6 and 7 cases, respectively. However, a whopping 58 cases were recorded in 2017, and 25 cases were recorded in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Such infections usually occur from April to September.

According to the CDC, Wisconsin and Minnesota account for more than half of the cases. In New Jersey, JCV’s previous only report was in 2015.

Aedes aegypti will be found on March 6, 2016 at the Entomology and Ecology Institute of the Dengue Division of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Photo: Reuters