Paper Example on West Nile Virus: Global Study of Health-Based Articles

West Nile Virus is a mosquito-borne transmitted to humans and other species like birds and horses. The virus infection supposes no danger for most mild cases, and its symptoms tend to go away on their own, sometimes without being noticed. However, when there are severe cases involved, then the individuals need to be hospitalized. This WNV study consists of a literature review of health-based articles. The virus originated from Uganda and later spread all over the world. Some of the discovered symptoms include fever, tiredness, coma, neck stiffness, muscle weakness, and stupor. The infection is diagnosed through blood tests, CT and MRI scan in the head, and spinal tap. There is no vaccination or treatment of the virus. The study provides preventive measures through which, the transmission of West Nile Virus to animals as well as to humans.

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Introduction/ thesis

West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne which circulates among the birds and can also affect other species such as the humans and horses as well (Campbell et al. 2012). It is the number one cause of mosquito-borne diseases in the United States. The virus is transmitted to humans through a mosquito bite. The WNV cases increase during summer because it is then that they breed. People show its infection by revealing symptoms such as fever. In most cases, the infection barely has a serious outcome. However, in the worst cases, fatality is reported in a few people. Unfortunately, there is no preventive vaccine or treatments for the infections caused by WNV. This paper seeks to research the causes, transmission, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of West Nile Virus.

Methodology

The method used for the study involves a literature review of related articles. Some of the reviewed articles are the government health materials from CDC and WHO, among others. It is from these materials that the results are obtained.

Results

West Nile Virus outbreak was first reported in West Nile Delta, in Uganda. In 1999, the virus reached America, and its outbreak was immediately announced. The health experts stated that the importation of the virus established "vector-borne pathogens," which posed a danger to all the species. The most robust outbreak happened in Russia, Greece, USA, Romania, and Israel (WHO, 2017). Although the Virus originates in Africa, it later spread all over the world.

Transmission

The standard transmission occurs from one person to another, through a mosquito bite. When the mosquito bites a human, the virus spread throughout the body, through blood circulation in a few days (CDC, 2018). This happens after the mosquito feed on infected birds. West Nile Virus is then spread to other species through the mosquito bite. The most vulnerable birds to the West Nile Virus are the vertebrates. The cycle is recurrent. In a few cases, the virus infection has been spread through blood transfusion, laboratory exposure, and mother to infant during delivery, breastfeeding, or pregnancy. However, it is crucial to note that the virus is not transmitted through; physical contact with infected people or animals shared air or feeding on the infected birds.

Symptoms

Most of the West Nile Virus is that an infected species might not show any symptoms. Only about 20% of the infected could show signs of fever or other diseases related to the virus (CDC, 2019). Some of the symptoms showed include headache, fever, body aches, vomiting, nausea, tiredness, swollen lymph glands, and occasional skin rash. The severe symptoms bring along WNV related diseases like encephalitis, West Nile poliomyelitis, and meningitis. These diseases are revealed by signs like coma, weak muscles, stupor, stiff neck, disorientation, tremors, paralysis, high fever, and headache. The probability of the infected suffering from these diseases is one 1 out of 150. The virus can infect people of any age; however, people of age 50 and above are more prone due to their compromised immunity, especially those seeking transplant or blood transfusion. The other risk factor for infection is some medications meant to treat diseases like kidney failure, hypertension, diabetes, and cancer. Once a person is infected, the incubation period of the WNV takes three to fourteen days.

Diagnosis

Several tests can be taken to determine the infection of the West Nile Virus. Such tests include blood test; which reveals higher levels of antibodies, head MRI or CT scan; which shows brain inflammation upon infection, and spinal tap or lumbar puncture which signifies meningitis disease. For a lumbar puncture, an extraction of cerebrospinal fluid from the spinal cord and brain is done. During the procedure, a needle is subjected to the lower vertebrae part of the spine. If the results show high levels of white cells, then the person is infected with WNV.

Treatment

There is no available treatment to cure West Nile Virus (WHO, 2017). However, over the counter, drugs could be used to relieve pain and reduce the worsening of the showing symptoms. In worst cases, the patients are hospitalized for more supportive treatment like nursing care, intravenous fluids, and pain-relieving medications. A precaution should be taken by immediately informing your doctor in case you show symptoms related to West Nile Virus.

Prevention

The surest way to avoid West Nile Virus is to stay ways from the exposure of mosquito. This is achieved by getting rid of stagnant water, in which mosquitoes breeds (Ho, Schaenman, and Baden, 2019). Other preventive measures include unclogging water gutters, emptying swimming pools that are not in use or any uncovered water around the pool area. Also, it is vital to change the water in which the birds and other pets drink often. Old tires and basins that could hold water within the environment should be eliminated to avoid providing mosquitoes with breeding sites. Broken windows and screens which could let in mosquitoes to the house should be repaired. While in the house, it is essential to sleep under treated mosquito nets and spray the house with insecticides. The following measures should be taken to minimize the risk of mosquito exposure. First, we should limit outdoor activities, especially during odd hours like early morning, dawn, and dusk, when the prevalence of mosquitoes is high. Secondly, while out of the house, we should always wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts to cover our skins fully. Also, it is necessary to apply environmental friendly mosquito repellant to our clothes and skin. The concentrated repellant should be used during odd hours. However, caution must be taken to people with allergies and children who might react negatively with the repellant. Applying instructions must be strictly followed, as indicated in the package. While outdoor with the infants, their strollers should be covered with treated mosquito nets.

Health care providers looking after people infected with WNV should also make sure that they practice standard health control by handling their specimens with caution. The samples from infected people and animals should only be handled by the trained staff. Since the outbreak of WNV in animals is what lead to the infection of humans, animal surveillance systems can be used to detect emerging cases of infected horses and birds. An early warning should then be issued to the community upon discovery of new cases. Fortunately, there are vaccines available for the horses; thus, their cases are significantly reduced.

Conclusion

West Nile Virus is a mosquito-borne disease mostly found in Africa, South America, Europe, and the Middle East. Mosquitoes acquire the infection from sucking the blood of infected birds and other species like horses. The human transmission than occurs when the infected mosquito bites a human. Some symptoms of severe cases include fever, headache, coma, and stupor. Although the infection may not show danger signs in some people, it leads to death in severe cases. Some blood tests and scans are done or the diagnosis of the disease. There is no proven treatment or vaccine for humans. Various precautions like covering of skin, treating and maintaining environment cleanliness should be taken to prevent mosquito breeds. This silent killer virus needs to be one of the major concerns for the World Health Organization. The infection slowly spread to the body through the blood, at times, without showing. Therefore, its treatment and vaccinations must be discovered. Without the treatment of the virus, people from the most prone regions like Africa and the Middle East will continue to suffer and die.

References

Campbell, G. L., Marfin, A. A., Lanciotti, R. S., & Gubler, D. J. (2002). West Nile virus. The Lancet infectious diseases, 2(9), 519-529. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1473309902003687

CDC. (2018, December 10). Symptoms, Diagnosis, & Treatment. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/westnile/symptoms/index.html

CDC. (2019, August 16). West Nile virus. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/westnile/index.html

Ho, D. Y., Schaenman, J. M., & Baden, L. R. (2019). West Nile Virus in Immunocompromised Hosts. In Principles and Practice of Transplant Infectious Diseases (pp. 735-752). Springer, New York, NY. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4939-9034-4_44

WHO. (2017, October 3). West Nile virus. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/west-nile-virus