• Health.What is mosquito-associated viral meningoencephalitis?
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In recent days we have all seen in the media how the news was full of viruses, and it is that the coronavirus seemed to want to add a new virus dubbed "West Nile virus" .

Unlike the first, in this case it is not something new but something unusual so far in our country: in the last ten years the National Epidemiology Center had only registered seven cases of Nile virus in Spain. Until now. And it is that in the last month the number of infected does not stop increasing, already exceeding thirty and having to regret two deaths. Never before has an outbreak of this type been registered in our country with so many affected.

What exactly?

The West Nile virus is a "Flavivirus" that was first identified in 1937 in Uganda . For a long time it was isolated in the Nile delta.

It is currently spread across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, North America, and Western Asia. It can infect humans and other mammals, although the virus reservoirs are birds and not mosquitoes as is generally believed (these act only as transmitters of the virus).

How is it transmitted?

The transmission mechanism is quite simple: a mosquito of the genus Aedes bites an infected bird and the virus passes into its salivary glands. Next, this insect bites a human being or an animal and as a consequence injects the virus infecting it.

Unlike the coronavirus, the Nile virus is not transmitted from one person to another by contact .

What symptoms does it produce?

Fortunately, West Nile virus infection goes unnoticed in 80% of infected people , asymptomatically, as Covid-19 does in many cases.

Only that remaining 20% ​​will have symptoms. These range from a slight fever, headache, tiredness, nausea and muscle pain in the mildest cases, to West Nile encephalitis or meningitis with high fever, seizures and coma in the most severe that require admission to Care Units Intensive. These most extreme cases occur in a proportion of 1 for every 150 infected.

Which is the treatment?

Currently there is no vaccine or specific treatment for infection caused by West Nile virus, so the therapeutic approach will be to treat the symptoms caused by the disease .

Who is most at risk of getting it?

Anyone, regardless of their age or previous health, is at risk of being infected by this mosquito bite. While it is true that among those over 60 and people with previous serious health problems, the virus has a higher fatality rate.

A mosquito bit me, should I be concerned?

Unless this has happened in one of the areas declared as risk in Andalusia at this time, we should not worry too much. The incubation period of the virus usually lasts between 3 and 14 days , and only before the appearance of the symptoms described above should we consult a doctor.

Why has it now appeared in our country?

Experts attribute this outbreak to the 30% increase in mosquitoes present in the wetlands of the Doñana National Park and the Guadalquivir River, especially in the sections near La Puebla and Coria del Río, the populations in which the disease has been detected. outbreak. The months of confinement combined with the increase in temperatures seem to be behind this increase compared to previous years.

How can we prevent it?

The best way to prevent ourselves from getting infected is by avoiding mosquitoes and their bites. To do this, we will use mosquito repellants , we will cover most of the body with clothing, we will place mosquito nets on doors and windows, we will avoid as far as possible staying outdoors between dusk and dawn and we will not use intense perfumes .

If sunscreen is used, we will apply this first and, once absorbed, the mosquito repellent. It is also very important that we avoid the accumulation of water in pots , cans or gutters, as well as in abandoned swimming pools.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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