CDC recommends preventative measures as West Nile virus cases rise

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West Nile Virus (WNV) is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the continental United States and is most commonly transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. Cases occur during the mosquito season, which begins in the summer and continues into the fall. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), at least 216 cases of WNV were detected in a total of 33 states in 2024.^1,2

As of August 25, 2024, Dr. Anthony Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and former Chief Medical Advisor to the President of the United States, has been hospitalized with WNV. He is currently recuperating at home, but Fauci and his spokesperson have noted that it may take several weeks for him to fully recover.^2-4

“You just need to rest,” Fauci said of the recovery process in the interview. NBC News“The good news is I'm definitely moving in the right direction. The hard news is it's going to take weeks to get back to normal. That's the history of WNV. It's very draining.”⁴

And a teenager in St. Louis County, Missouri, is paralyzed and on a ventilator after a rare complication from West Nile virus, after his father reported early symptoms, including headaches and dizziness, began in early August.⁴

According to the CDC, serious complications from WNV are rare, with only about 1 in 150 people experiencing symptoms that affect the central nervous system (such as inflammation of the brain or meningitis, inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord). Other symptoms of severe illness can include headache, disorientation, stiffness in the neck, and paralysis, with recovery taking weeks to months. The CDC warns that in some cases some of these effects may be permanent, although about 70% to 80% of WNV infections in humans are thought to be asymptomatic or asymptomatic.^4,5

In addition, CDC warns that the possibility of WNV should be considered in people with an acute febrile or neurological illness who have recently been bitten by a mosquito, received a blood transfusion, or had an organ transplant (especially during the summer), and in infants born to mothers who were infected with WNV during pregnancy or breastfeeding.The incubation period for WNV is usually 2-6 days but can be 2-14 days or even several weeks in immunocompromised people.⁵

According to the CDC, all clinical management available for patients with WNV is considered supportive. For example, patients with severe meningeal symptoms typically require analgesia and antiemetic therapy for headaches, or fluids for nausea and vomiting associated with the illness. Other supportive care includes closely monitoring patients with encephalitis for increased intracranial pressure and the occurrence of seizures. The CDC states that a variety of medications have been evaluated or used empirically against WNV, but no medication has shown specific efficacy to date.⁶

Currently, there is no licensed vaccine or medication to prevent WNV infection, and prevention of the disease relies on community-level mosquito control programs to reduce contact with infected mosquitoes. Additionally, CDC recommends that the best way to prevent WNV is by taking precautions to avoid mosquito bites, such as using insect repellents, wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants, treating clothing and other equipment as needed, and taking mosquito control measures both indoors and outdoors.^6,7

References

1. About West Nile Virus. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. May 15, 2024. Accessed August 29, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/west-nile-virus/about/index.html

2. Diaz, J. Fauci, recovering from West Nile virus infection. The New York TimesAugust 25, 2024. August 29, 2024. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/25/us/fauci-west-nile-virus-hospitalized.html

3. Hetter K. What you need to know about the West Nile virus that made Dr. Anthony Fauci sick. CNN. August 29, 2024. Accessed August 29, 2024. https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/29/health/west-nile-virus-cases-wellness/index.html

4. Burke M. Missouri Teen Paralyzed by West Nile Virus Put on Ventilator. NBCNews.com. August 29, 2024. Accessed August 29, 2024. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/missouri-teenager-left-paralyzed-ventilator-west-nile-virus-rcna168761

5. Clinical Signs and Symptoms of West Nile Virus Infection. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. May 15, 2024. Accessed August 29, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/west-nile-virus/hcp/clinical-signs/index.html

6. Treatment and Prevention of West Nile Virus Infection. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. May 15, 2024. Accessed August 29, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/west-nile-virus/hcp/treatment-prevention/index.html

7. Preventing West Nile Fever. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. May 15, 2024. Accessed August 29, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/west-nile-virus/prevention/index.html