WILLIAMSON COUNTY AND CITIES HEALTH DISTRICT

 

NEWS RELEASE

 

 

 West Nile virus confirmed in American crow in Williamson County:

Remember the “Four D’s” for Human Protection from Virus

 

October 19, 2004 (Williamson County, TX) -- West Nile virus was confirmed October 18, 2004, in an American crow from Williamson County.  The sick crow was collected in a horse barn located in rural East Williamson County on October 12. This is the first animal West Nile virus case confirmed during 2004 for Williamson County.  There has been no confirmed West Nile virus human case in Williamson County in 2004.  In 2003, there was one confirmed human West Nile virus case in Williamson County. 

 

West Nile virus can infect humans, birds, mosquitoes, horses, and some other animals.  The virus is spread by the bite of an infected mosquito.  There is no evidence that West Nile virus can be spread from person to person or from animal to person.

 

Preventing mosquito bites is the best way to avoid getting West Nile virus.  Remember the Four D’s” of DEET, Dress, Dusk and Dawn, and Drain:

1.   Apply insect repellent that contains DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide).  Be sure to read label instructions.  Spray clothing with repellent as well as exposed skin.

2.   Dress in long sleeves and long pants when you are outside.

3.   Stay indoors at dusk and dawn, times when mosquitoes are most active.

4.   Drain standing water in your backyard and neighborhood; old tires, flowerpots and clogged rain gutters are mosquito-breeding sites.

 

Most people infected with West Nile virus will not have any signs of illness.  Twenty percent of people who become infected will have mild symptoms such as fever, headache, body aches and occasionally a skin rash on the trunk of the body and swollen lymph glands.

 

Only about one out of 150 people infected with West Nile virus will develop a severe form of the disease (West Nile encephalitis or meningitis) which can include symptoms such as headache, high fever, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness and paralysis.   People over 50 years of age have the highest risk of severe disease.

 

Mild West Nile virus improves on its own, and people do not necessarily need to seek medical attention for this infection.  If a person develops symptoms of severe West Nile virus illness, he/she should seek medical attention immediately.

 

For more information about West Nile virus see http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/index.htm

 

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