The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) has received reports of West Nile virus present in more than 175 mosquito pools this year, a number much higher than last year at this time, when 13 pools tested positive.
The high number of positive cases in the pool samples means there is a greater risk of West Nile virus spreading to humans, though no human cases of West Nile virus have been reported this year so far. The Office of Public health is urging the public to take protective measures against mosquito bites.
West Nile virus is spread by mosquitoes and can cause illness in people and animals. While 80% of human cases are asymptomatic, many people can develop West Nile Fever. Symptoms of West Nile Fever, which is a flu-like illness, can include fever, headache, body aches, nausea or rashes.
A small percentage of people sickened by West Nile Virus can develop a severe form of infection called West Nile Neuroinvasive Disease or West Nile Encephalitis, which can result in hospitalization and death. Symptoms can include high fever, stiff neck, disorientation, muscle weakness, numbness, coma, and paralysis. These symptoms may last several weeks and carry the risk of death or permanent brain damage.
While anyone is at risk of developing severe disease, individuals with pre-existing medical conditions and those who are over 60 years of age are at a greater risk. The number of West Nile Neuroinvasive Disease cases fluctuates each year due to many environmental factors and the weather, with previous case counts in Louisiana ranging between four and 204 cases each year.
“Now is the time to start protecting yourself from mosquito bites and eliminating mosquito breeding sites around your home,” said LDH State Health Officer Joseph Kanter, MD. “We’re getting early warning signs from our Mosquito Abatement District samples across the state that West Nile Virus could result in higher case counts among humans this summer.”