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 IMMUNITION™
Report©
Volume
II No. 7 
By Frank Jordan
2008 is Another Challenging Year for West Nile Virus! Your Immune System is
a Primary Defense Against the West Nile Killer Virus
What
is West Nile Encephalitis?
"Encephalitis" means an inflammation of the brain and can be caused by
viruses and bacteria, including viruses transmitted by mosquitoes. West Nile
encephalitis is an infection of the brain caused by West Nile virus, a
flavivirus commonly found in Africa, West Asia, and the Middle East. It is
closely related to the St. Louis encephalitis virus found in the United States.
The year 2008 through June 24th before the worst
part of the West Nile season arroves is 13 cases as reported at
West Nile Virus cases and deaths for 2008 . West Nile cases
and deaths in 2007 finalized with 3,630 cases and 124 deaths.
Colorado had 576 cases and 7 deaths while California had 380 cases and
20 fatalities and Texas has 257 cases and 16 deaths.
Prior to 2007, West Nile virus was a significant
health risk in 2006; increasing 42% over 2005 in cases to 4269 and 49%+ in
deaths to 177, as reported for the year 2006 on May 22, 2007 by The Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to the CDC, the year 2006
ended with 4269 cases including 996 in Idaho with 21 deaths and 354 cases with
32 fatalities in Texas; after 3000 cases and 119 deaths were reported for the
year 2005 by CDC. While 2006 brought significant increases, 2005 West Nile
cases and deaths were similar to 2004 with 100 deaths, but not nearly as deadly
a year as 2003 for West Nile Virus victims when 260 died as reported by The
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In 2003, the West Nile Virus caused a previously unseen polio-like disease in
some, and infected donated blood and organs in rare instances. 2003
ended as a serious health threat nationally, with 260+ dead and almost 10,000 people infected during the year.
The CDC reports, "Of 9,862 cases, 6,830 (69%) were reported as West Nile fever
(milder disease), 2,866 (29%) were reported as West Nile meningitis or
encephalitis (neuroinvasive disease) and 166 (2%) were clinically unspecified."
A count of both
West Nile Virus cases and deaths for 2007 by
state is
calculated by the Centers for Disease Control, including a
U.S. map of infection areas. As stated
previously, the West Coast, particularly Idaho and California and Gulf Coast
predominantly Texas and Mississippi were hardest hit by the
virus in 2006, with West Nile Virus having been recorded in all 48
Continental states. In 2006, Idaho had more than twice as many cases as any
other state at 996, while Texas with 32 deaths led the nation in a
deadly year from West Nile infections.
Where did
West Nile virus come from?
West Nile virus has been commonly found in humans and birds and other
vertebrates in Africa, Eastern Europe, West Asia, and the Middle East, but until
1999 had not previously been documented in the Western Hemisphere.
It is not known from where the U.S. virus originated, but it is most closely
related genetically to strains found in the Middle East. U.S. Senator Patrick
Leahy has now questioned if bioterrorism could be involved, but there is no
corroborating evidence to date, although the virus was first discovered in the
vicinity of the United Nations in New York City.
How Many
Cases of West Nile encephalitis in humans have occurred in the U.S.?
In 1999 when West Nile was first diagnosed in the U.S., 62 cases of severe
disease, including 7 deaths, occurred in the New York area. In 2000, 21 cases
were reported, including 2 deaths in the New York City area. In 2001, there
were 66 human cases of severe disease and 9 deaths.
In 2002, the virus spread coast to coast, with cases from Florida to New York
to California. In total, according to CDC West Nile Statistics, reported
serious cases numbered 4156 with 284 deaths in 2002. An estimated
250,000-300,000 people had the West Nile Virus in some form in the United States
in 2002 and with approximately 400,000 in 2003. Current estimates are
120,000-200,000 people based on serious reported cases of approximately 3,000.
Do the
findings indicate that West Nile virus is established in the Western Hemisphere?
The continued expansion of West Nile virus in the United
States indicates that it is permanently established in the Western Hemisphere.
Is the
disease seasonal in its occurrence?
In the temperate zone of the world (i.e., between latitudes
23.5° and 66.5° north and south), West Nile encephalitis cases occur primarily
in the late summer or early fall, with initial cases reported in July. In the southern climates where temperatures
are milder, West Nile virus can be transmitted year round.
How do
people get West Nile encephalitis?
People become infected by the bite of a mosquito infected
with West Nile virus. Mosquitoes become infected when they feed on infected
birds, which may circulate the virus in their blood for a few days. Infected
mosquitoes can then transmit West Nile virus to humans and animals while biting
to take blood. The virus is located in the mosquito's salivary glands. During
blood feeding, the virus may be injected into the animal or human, where it may
multiply, possibly causing illness.
The risk of catching West Nile Virus is smaller than the benefit of a
lifesaving blood or organ donation, according to Dr. Jesse Goodman from the FDA.
But Dr. Goodman admitted to a Congressional Committee the FDA was surprised when
four people became infected with West Nile Virus after receiving organs from a
single donor. Others may also have caught the virus from transfusions
with infected blood and warnings have gone out to blood banks to ask donors if
they have suffered from fever, body aches or other symptoms of viral infection.
If I live
in an area where birds or mosquitoes with West Nile virus have been reported and
a mosquito bites me, am I likely to get sick?
 No. Even in areas where the virus is circulating, very few
mosquitoes are infected with the virus. Even if the mosquito is infected, less
than 1% of people who get bitten and become infected will get severely ill. The
chances you will become severely ill from any one mosquito bite are extremely
small.
Can you
get West Nile encephalitis from another person?
No. West Nile encephalitis is NOT transmitted from person-to-person. For
example, you cannot get West Nile virus from touching or kissing a person who
has the disease, or from a health care worker who has treated someone with the
disease.
Can you
get West Nile virus directly from birds?
There is no evidence that a person can get the virus from
handling live or dead infected birds. However, persons should avoid bare-handed
contact when handling any dead animals and use gloves or double plastic
bags to place the carcass in a garbage can.
How does
West Nile virus actually cause severe illness and death in humans?
Following transmission by an infected mosquito, West Nile
virus multiplies in the person's blood system and crosses the blood-brain
barrier to reach the brain. The virus interferes with normal central nervous
system functioning and causes inflammation of brain tissue. Most who are
infected get the "mild" form often described as West Nile fever.
The serious neuroinvasive form involves the central nervous system, causing
encephalitis (brain swelling), meningitis (inflammation of the tissue
surrounding the brain and spinal cord), paralysis and sometimes, though rarely,
death.
What
proportion of people with severe illness due to West Nile virus die?
Among those with severe illness due to West Nile virus, case-fatality rates
range from 3% to 15% and are highest among the elderly. Many of the 2,866 people
in 2003 who suffered the severe neuroinvasive form of West Nile Virus were left
with long-term neurological problems, including memory impairment and difficulty
walking. If infected, it is
assumed that immunity will be lifelong; however, it may wane in later years.
Much is still unknown and to be learned only with time.
What can
be done to prevent outbreaks of West Nile virus?
Prevention and control of West Nile virus and other arboviral diseases is
most effectively accomplished through implementation of appropriate mosquito
control measures to reduce mosquito populations when necessary. Additionally, when virus activity is detected in an area, residents should be
alerted and advised to increase measures to reduce contact with mosquitoes.
Is there
a vaccine against West Nile encephalitis or a Drug for Treatment?
No, there is no vaccine or drug for treatment, but several companies are working towards developing a
vaccine.
What can I do
to reduce my risk of becoming infected with West Nile virus?
Keep your Immune System in peak condition to fight back against the
pathogenic virus. Implement a balanced and healthy diet. Drink quality water, stop sugar consumption
and "white" manufactured food consumption. Eat a high protein diet.
Get adequate rest, moderate exercise and reduce stress factors to the extent
possible.
Use a natural and nutritional immune response potentiator such as
nonaggregated microparticulate Beta glucan to
nutritionally potentiate the immune response. A preferred form (not a product
name) of Beta glucan is the U.S. patented and medical school derived MG glucan,
with the preparation process peer-reviewed in October 2002 in
Letters of Applied Microbiology
with additional research available at the non-commercial web site
www.betaglucan.org .
Take a balanced multiple vitamin and mineral daily to
maintain nutritional and nutrient vitality.
Stay indoors at dawn, dusk and in the early evening.
Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants whenever you are outdoors.
Apply insect repellent
sparingly to exposed skin. An effective repellent will contain 35% DEET
(N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide). DEET in high concentrations (greater than 35%)
provides no additional protection. Repellents may irritate the
eyes and mouth, so avoid applying repellent to the hands of children.
Install or repair window
and door screens so that mosquitoes cannot get indoors.
Many people have reported good results from the carbon dioxide mosquito
magnet machines.
Who is at
risk for getting West Nile encephalitis?
All residents of areas where virus activity has been
identified are at risk of getting West Nile encephalitis; persons over 50 years
of age have the highest risk of severe disease. The CDC estimates 1 in 150
people who are infected develop severe disease, and 20% of those infected
develop West Nile Fever.
What are
the symptoms of West Nile encephalitis?
Most infections are mild, and symptoms include fever,
headache, and body aches, occasionally with skin rash and swollen lymph glands.
More severe infection may be marked by headache, high fever, neck stiffness,
stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, paralysis,
and, rarely, death.
What is the incubation
period in humans (i.e., time from infection to onset of disease symptoms) for
West Nile encephalitis?
Usually 3 to 15 days.
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