West Nile Virus: A Comprehensive Guide to Symptoms, Transmission, and Prevention

2023-08-01 19:06:40
BSIP / Universal Images Group via Getty West Nile Virus, Transmitted To Humans Through The Bite Of An Infected Mosquito, Virus Is A Flavivirus Commonly Found In Africa, West Asia, And The Middle East, It Is Closely Related To St Louis Encephalitis Virus Found In The United States. (Photo By BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

BSIP / Universal Images Group via Getty

Illustration of the West Nile Virus, a case of which was first discovered in Gironde.

HEALTH – This is unprecedented. A case of West Nile virus infection was identified at the end of July in Bordeaux, the first human case to occur outside “Mediterranean rim” in France, announced this Tuesday August 1 the Regional Health Agency (ARS) in New Aquitaine.

Four other cases are ” under investigation “ in Gironde in addition to this first infection reported on July 27 by a person living in the Bordeaux station district, added the ARS, specifying that the state of health of the people concerned “does not inspire concern”.

According to the health agency, “so far in France, human West Nile virus infections have only been found around the Mediterranean, in the Paca and Occitanie regions”.

No human-to-human transmission

Discovered in Uganda in 1937, this virus is carried by birds and transmitted to humans by “Culex” type mosquitoes. “The Culex mosquito, also called “common mosquito”, is an endemic species, distinct from the tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus”specifies the ARS.

West Nile virus is not transmitted from human to human or from human to mosquito, and the risk of transmission through blood and organ donations is “extremely weak”. The disease causes no symptoms in 80% of cases. If there are symptoms, they resemble those of the flu. Neurological complications may, however, occur in rare cases.

The virus is present in Africa, Asia, Australia and in Europe around the Mediterranean. According to Santé Publique France, it has been circulating more extensively in Russia and Europe since 2010, with cases first reported in Germany and the Netherlands in 2019 and 2020.

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