Nile virus. Limited blood donation for those who have stayed in the South of France

The Nile virus is prevalent in Provence Alpes-Côtes-d'Azur: 20 cases of human infection with the virus were recorded in September.

Transmitted by mosquitoes, West Nile virus infection had already affected, in two months, 20 people in the Alpes-Maritimes and Vaucluse, on September 24th. The presence of this virus in the South of France pushes health authorities to take action.

Thus, "all people who have stayed at least one night in the Alpes-Maritimes, Var, Bouches-du-Rhone, Vaucluse and Pyrenees-Orientales, but also Monaco, can not donate for 28 days" explained the French Blood Establishment at Le Parisien newspaper on October 21st. A way to contain the spread of the virus.

Wild birds

Nile virus infection, also known as West Nile fever, is transmitted by the most common mosquitoes (Culex), which are infected by pricking infected wild birds.

In most cases, the human infection is asymptomatic. In some cases, the illness is manifested by a flu-like syndrome (fever, headache, muscle aches), sometimes accompanied by a rash. More rarely, it can cause serious neurological complications.

Horses can also be contaminated. The prefecture of Gard had announced mid-September the infection of two horses, one of which died. It is also a fairly old disease in France, already spotted in the Camargue in the 1960s.