10 Symptoms of West Nile Virus

West Nile Virus is a virus often carried by mosquitoes. As a result, the majority of North American West Nile Virus cases occur in the summer. 1 in 5 West Nile Virus victims end up with symptoms of the disease. About 1 out of every 150 cases of West Nile Virus evolve into dangerous, life threatening conditions. There are currently no vaccines for the prevention of the disease or medications to cure it. There are medications that can be taken to ease the symptoms of the disease, but there is no way to get rid of it besides overcoming the disease on your own.Luckily, most sufferers do survive. Aside from mosquitoes, one of the ways that the virus transmits is through the carcasses of dead birds. It is advisable to stay away from both if you do not want to catch anything. Mosquito control is one solution proposed to limit the spread of West Nile Virus. This can be done on broad scales or in individual homes. While there is no way to cure it, you should contact your healthcare provider if you have any of the ten following symptoms.

1. Fever

One of the more common symptoms that sees its onset early into the spread of West Nile Virus is fever. The term fever is also sometimes called pyrexia or hyperthermia. Hyperthermia is not usually a fatal condition, but it can be severely damaging or fatal to young children or the elderly. A baby is considered to have hyperthermia when their temperature raises above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, while a child is considered to have it at 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit. An adult has it at 99 degrees Fahrenheit. Fevers oftentimes come with other conditions like sweating, aching, and having chills. It is not uncommon for people with hyperthermia to sweat in their sleep.You can check your temperature to see if you are exhibiting symptoms by inserting a thermometer orally, rectally, or under your armpit. Hyperthermia often begins to set in early in the stages of West Nile Virus, from three days to two weeks in. Some may suffer from hyperthermia throughout the whole duration of their bout of WNV. Hyperthermia is often present alongside other symptoms of WNV, and if you experience multiple symptoms you should definitely contact your physician. Also always make sure to get babies and children exhibiting the symptom treatment quickly.Next