(NEXSTAR) – Medical experts are advising people to take precautions to avoid the West Nile virus, which Dr. Anthony Fauci said is worse than any illness he’s ever experienced and is still recovering from.
Dr. Anthony Fauci was recently hospitalized with West Nile virus, complaining of fever, chills and severe fatigue, according to a spokesman.
The country's former top doctor, who is currently recuperating at home, told health news site ” status “I've never felt this sick in my life,” he said last weekend, adding that he felt as if he'd been “hit by a truck.” He said he expected his recovery to take “many weeks.”
West Nile virus is often transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito. While most people experience no symptoms, about one in five people experience symptoms that include fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea, and rash, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About one in every 150 infected people develops severe illness, sometimes resulting in death. There have been 216 cases of West Nile virus so far this year. West Nile virus was first reported in the United States in 1999 in New York. It gradually spread across the country, with nearly 10,000 cases in 2003.
“There are certain mosquitoes that carry West Nile virus,” Dr. Lysette Cardona, an infectious disease specialist at the Cleveland Clinic, said in an email. “Not all mosquitoes carry West Nile virus, so you cannot get West Nile virus from a mosquito bite, but mosquitoes that have been infected through contact with birds can carry West Nile virus in their abdomens and transmit it to humans when they bite.”
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“I think the best prevention for West Nile and most mosquito-related illnesses is to avoid mosquito bites,” Cardona says. “If you're traveling or in an area where mosquito bites are common, make sure you use a repellent that's safe for you or, if you're camping, use a special mosquito net or other protective gear.”
Local health officials are also trying to reduce mosquito populations by spraying neighborhoods with insecticide. Massachusetts officials have been using trucks and planes this week to spray mosquito-prone areas.
West Nile virus is Main causes According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the incidence of mosquito-borne diseases in the continental United States is at an all-time high.
There is currently no vaccine or medicine to prevent West Nile fever in humans.
Here are some common (and not-so-common) mosquito-borne diseases.
Eastern Equine Encephalitis
Most people infected with eastern equine encephalitis have no symptoms, but some develop fever and brain swelling, and about one-third of infected people die. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, three cases of eastern equine encephalitis have been reported in the United States this year, one each in Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Vermont. The disease's worst year was 2019, with 38 cases. The disease is caused by a virus and is not very common around the world. The virus usually spreads in certain swamps, such as red maple and white cedar swamps in Massachusetts.
malaria
Malaria infected approximately 250 million people worldwide in 2022 and killed more than 600,000 people, most of them children. Malaria is caused by a parasite carried by mosquitoes and mainly infects people in tropical regions such as Africa.Vaccination campaign launchedHealth officials hope this will lead to a decline in the number of infections and deaths.
Dengue fever
It is also called “breakbone fever” because it is extremely painful.Dengue fever is becoming more commonAccording to the World Health Organization (WHO), about half of the world's population is at risk of infection, with 100 million to 400 million infected each year. Not everyone will experience symptoms, which include fever, severe headache, and muscle and joint pain. Most cases in the United States are in people who have traveled to other countries, but the CDC says there have been about 2,600 cases of infection in the country so far this year.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
