West Nile Fever Cases in Andalusia

AS cases of West Nile Virus spread throughout Spain, the Junta de Andalusia’s Ministry of Health and Consumption announced further cases on Saturday of mosquitos carrying the West Nile fever virus (WNV) in samples taken by the General Directorate of Public Health in several Andalusian municipalities.

Three Affected Municipalities in Seville

The three affected municipalities in Andalusia are located in Seville province: Guillena, El Castillo de las Guardas and La Puebla del Río.

The government has urged local authorities to adopt public health measures to monitor and control mosquito populations in the area. The ‘West Nile Fever Control and Surveillance Program’ was launched to “take preventive measures when a greater density of transmitting mosquitoes is detected”.

Symptoms of West Nile Fever

The mosquito carriers of the disease belong to the Culex genus, and they are more active in the early hours of dawn and at dusk. Eight out of 10 infected people do not develop any symptoms, however, about one in 15 develop a fever with other symptoms, including headaches, body ache, vomiting, diarrhoea, rashes or joint pain. Most people who are infected with the virus recover quickly and completely but may experience weakness and fatigue for weeks or months afterwards.

The virus can affect the central nervous system and cause encephalitis, the inflammation of the brain, or meningitis, an inflammation of membranes around the brain and spinal cord. Those suffering from severe symptoms will experience high fevers, neck stiffness, tremors, vision loss, paralysis and convulsions.

People over the age of 60 are at greater risk of suffering severe symptoms, especially if exacerbated by other illnesses or medical conditions such as cancer, diabetes, kidney disease, or have had a transplant. One out of 10 people who develop severe symptoms affecting the central nervous system die from the disease.

No cure or vaccine

There is currently no cure or vaccine available for the West Nile virus, in severe cases, patients may need to be hospitalised for care and monitoring.

To protect yourself from the risk, the World Health Organisation recommends the use of insect repellent, wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants, especially at dusk and dawn, and controlling mosquitoes indoors and outdoors using repellent and ensuring that there are no bodies of stagnant water which can be mosquito breeding grounds.