West Nile Case Found - SuffolkJournal.com

Nesconset Woman Contracts First Case of
West Nile Virus on LI This Year
by Jane Lee Bock

September 6, 2001

Commissioner of Health Services Dr. Clare Bradley announced today that a 49 year old Nesconset female has been presumptively diagnosed with West Nile viral infection.

The woman became ill with symptoms of fever, stiff neck, headache and a rash on August 23 and was hospitalized on August 27. Presumptive findings were described by Suffolk County Department of Health officials as preliminary laboratory findings. The Department is awaiting the results of "confirmatory" tests, but the woman was said to have been treated and released, recovering at home. She had also not traveled outside of Suffolk County in recent weeks.

"This is the first time we've had a clinical case since the original outbreak in 1999," said Dr. David Graham, Suffolk County's director of public health. "She is being monitored closely and getting extensive follow-up."

Graham said that diagnosing the illness is similar to diagnosing other types of meningitis cases, with much of the testing designed to rule out other possible causes of the symptoms. However the patient does undergo a spinal tap in order to test spinal fluids. The confirmatory tests may be available as early as tomorrow, he said.
Treatment for West Nile is supportive in nature as there is no specific drug to kill the virus. Patients are given fluids and doctors rule out bacteria, possible tumors or fungi. It can take from three days to two weeks from the initial bite to begin suffering the effects of the virus.

In addition, three more pools of mosquitoes and three more crows collected within Suffolk borders have tested positive for West Nile. Collected on August 21 and 22 in western Huntington, Lake Ronkonkoma and Connetquot River State Park, this brings the total number of test-positive mosquito pools to 41 and the total number of infected birds to 164 this year. According to Department officials, the counts continue to remain at low levels.

Dr. Bradley said, "The threat of transmission of West Nile virus to humans will remain until all mosquito activity ceases which is usually after two consecutive frosts. Until that time, and especially during warmer weather, make sure that window and door screens are in place and in good repair, eliminate standing water, minimize time spent outdoors between
dusk and dawn and consider the use of a mosquito repellent when it is necessary to be outdoors in mosquito infested areas for extended periods of time."

Bradley said chemical repellents are effective at reducing bites but the must be used with caution. "Their use is not without risk of health effects," she said, "especially if applied in large amounts or improperly."

West Nile infected birds have been found as far south and west as Louisiana, Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois, and as far north as Canada. According to Graham, Georgia had the United States' first fatal case of West Nile.