County reports first case of West Nile virus

An unnamed individual in his or her 50s has become the first person in Ventura County to contract West Nile virus, county health officials said recently. The positive tests were verified by the state laboratory in Richmond, Calif.

The individual became acutely ill and suffered from symptoms similar to severe West Nile virus infection, requiring intensive supportive care for several days at a local hospital. The victim is known to have spent time visiting another country before becoming ill and may well have contracted the infection there.

Most people who become infected with the virus do not have clinical symptoms or become ill. Of about 20 percent of infected people who do develop symptoms, most develop what has

been termed West Nile fever and suffer mild symptoms such as fever, head and body ache, and fatigue.

Severe West Nile virus disease occurs when the central nervous system is affected. Clinical syndromes ranging from a headache with fever to aseptic meningitis to encephalitis may occur, and these are usually indistinguishable from similar syndromes caused by other viruses. This type of infection is known as neuroinvasive disease, and more than half of those with this type of infection reportedly develop encephalitis or meningoencephalitis, which is characterized by altered mental status or focal neurological findings.

Ventura is the latest county in the state to have a human case of West Nile disease this year.

To date, 96 individuals from 22 counties in California have tested positive for the virus this year, according to reports. The infection is rarely fatal, but in a small percentage of cases, it can cause neurological and other serious health problems. So far, there have been two reported deaths in California from the virus.

Officials said people should eliminate standing pools of water where mosquitoes that carry the virus breed, put screens on windows and doors, avoid outdoor activities at dawn or dusk, wear long pants and longsleeved shirts outdoors and use bug repellent with DEET.

The bites of West Nile-carrying mosquitoes can spread the disease to birds, horses and humans. Only 1 percent of mosquito bites carry the virus.