NV.gov
West Nile Virus in Nevada's Communities
Additional Information
West Nile Virus
West Nile Virus is most commonly transmitted to humans by mosquitoes.
Additional routes of human infection have also been documented. It is important to note that these methods of transmission represent a very small proportion of cases:
- Blood transfusions
- Exposure in a laboratory setting
- From mother to baby during prenancy, delivery, or breastfeeding
West Nile Virus is not transmitted:
- From person-to-person or from animal-to-person through casual contact. Normal verterinary infection control precautions should be followed when caring for an animal suspected of having this or any viral infection. Standard infection control precautions are simply to keep the suspected infected animal away from other animals.
- From handling live or dead infected birds. You should avoid bare-handed contact when handling any dead animal. If you are disposing of a dead bird, use gloves or double plastic bags to place the carcass in a garbage can.
- Through consuming infected birds or animals. In keeping with overall public health practice, and due to the risk of known food-borne pathogens, always follow procedures for fully cooking meat from either birds or mammals.
(cdc.gov)
The most effective way to avoid West Nile Virus disaese is to prevent mosquito bites. Be aware of the West Nile Virus activity in your area and take action to protect yourself and your family.
Avoid Mosquito Bites
- Use insect repellents when you go outdoors. Repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, and some oil of lemon eucalyptus and para-methane-diol products provide longer-lasting protection. To optimize safety and effectiveness, repellents should be used according to the label instructions.
- When weather permits, wear long sleeves, long pants, and socks when outdoors. Mosquitoes may bite through thin clothing, so spraying clothes with repellent containing permethrin or another EPA-registered repellent will give extra protection. Don't apply repellents containing permethrin directly to skin. Do not spray repellent on the skin under clothing.
- Take extra care during peak mosquito biting hours. Take extra care to use repellent and protective clothing from dusk to dawn or consider avoiding outdoor activities during these times. (cdc.gov)
Eliminate Mosquito Breading Sites Where you Live
Did you know that a six-inch puddle or saucer of water can produce 1,000 mosquitoes a week?
DUMP IT, DRAIN IT, CLEAN IT UP
- Keep gutters clean
- Repair leaky faucets
- Eliminate debris that holds water
- Drain excess water from plant pots and saucers
- Change birdbaths twice a week
- Maintain pools and spas; keep water from pooling on covers
- Turn toys and equipment upside down to prevent water from collecting inside.
- Avoid overwatering
Help your Community reduce mosquito-borne dieases like West Nile Virus by keeping your property free from mosquito breeding sites.
(Contents/graphics compliments of Summit County Public Health, Ohio)
Homemade Mosquito Trap
- Remove the lid of a 2 liter plastic soda bottle
- Cut the top 1/3 of the bottle off.
- Mix 1/2 cup of brown sugar with 2 cups of wam water
- Pour into the lower half of the soda bottle.
- Add 1 tsp yeast
- Insert the top portion of the water bottle inverted into the lower portion of the water bottle.
- Wrap with dark tape or old sock. Mosquitoes like dark places. This mixture emits carbon dioxide which is the mosquito's attraction to humans when we exhale. The mosquito thinks it will find food inside the bottle
(bushcraftusa.com)
Other things you can do
- Install or repair screens on windows and doors to keep mosquitoes outside. Use your air conditioning, if you have it.
- Help reduce the number of mosquitoes around your home by emptying standing water from flowerpots, gutters, buckets, pool covers, pet water dishes, discarded tires, and birdbaths on a regular basis.
(cdc.gov)
Help Your Community West Nile Virus Surveillance and Control Programs
- Support your local community mosquito control programs. Mosquito control activities are most often handled at the local level, such as through county or city government. The type of mosquito control methods used by a program depends on the time of year, the type of mosquitoes to be controlled, and the habitat structure. Methods can include elimination of mosquito larval habitats, application of insecticides to kill mosquito larvae, or spraying insecticides from trucks or aircraft to kill adult mosquitoes. Your local mosquito control program can provide information about the type of products being used in your area.
- Report dead birds to local authorities. Dead birds may be a sign that West Nile Virus is circulating between birds and mosquitoes in an area. By reporting dead birds to state and local health departments, you can play an important role in monitoring West Nile Virus. To report dead birds in your area, please visit the Nevada Department of Agricutlure website and complete the "WNV Avian Sample Submission Form".
Symptoms
No symptoms in most people
Most people (70-80%) who become infected with West Nile Virus do not develop any syptoms.
Febrile illness in some people
About 1 in 5 people who are infected develop a fever with other symptoms such as headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea, or rash. Most people with this type of West Nile Virus disease recover completely, but fatigue and weakness can last for weeks or months.
Severe symptoms in a few people
Less than 1% of people who are infected will develop a serious neurologic illness such as encephalitis or menigitis (inflammation of the brain or surrounding tissues).
- The symptoms of neurologic illness can include headache, high fever, neck stiffness, disorientation, coma, tremors, seizures, or paralysis.
- Serious illness can occur in people of any age. However, people over 60 years of age are at the greatest risk for severe disase. People with certain medical condisitons, such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, and people who have received organ transplants, are also at great risk for serious illness.
- Recovery from severe disase may take several weeks or months. Some of the neurologic effects may be permanent.
- About 10 percent of people who develop neurologic infection due to West Nile Virus will die.
(cdc.gov)
Treatment
- No vaccine or specific antiviral treatments for West Nile Virus infection are availalbe.
- Over-the-counter pain relivers can be used to reduce fever and relieve some sypmptoms.
- In severe cases, patients often need to be hospitalized to receive supportive treatment, such as intravenous fluids, pain medication, and nursing care.
(cdc.gov)