The Clinton County, New York Health Department recently reported its first human case of West Nile Virus this year. It’s thought the viruses are more prevalent across the region this year due to the weather and climate change.
The Health Department reported that the individual, who was not identified, lives in Chazy and is over the age of 50. After experiencing symptoms on September 1st, the person was hospitalized and is now recovering.
Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital Infectious Disease attending physician Dr. Keith Collins says most people who get West Nile Virus won’t get sick.
“About 8 in 10 people that get West Nile won’t even know that they ever contracted it because they won’t feel sick. And most people who do get sick get a non-specific illness in which they get fever. They get muscle aches. They get joint pains. They get a headache. They may get nauseated. And it will last for about a week or so and then they’ll get over it,” Collins explains. “About 1 in about 150 will get seriously ill with either meningitis, which is an infection surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Even though they feel really sick with that they will recover from that without any permanent problems. But then there’s another group that will get infection of the brain itself called encephalitis. That has about a 10 percent mortality. And then the final thing which is probably the least common is the virus infects the spinal cord itself and it causes a condition very similar to polio where people can become paralyzed. That’s probably the least common.”
Collins warns that the viruses carried by mosquitoes can be transmitted to humans as soon as the bite starts.
“Once it pierces the skin with its proboscis and starts feeding it’s going to transmit the virus if it’s carrying it,” Collins says. “It’s essentially something that would happen right after you’re bitten.”
“So by the time you slap the mosquito, you may have been exposed?” clarifies Bradley.
“Yeah. By the time you’re bitten. Exactly,” replies Collins.
Eastern Equine Encephalitis is the other viral disease of concern that is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes. Clinton County has reported one case of EEE in a horse, but no human cases have been identified. An Ulster County resident died of the rare disease on Monday.
Scientists have found climate change is a factor in the increasing spread of the mosquito borne viruses.
University at Albany Department of Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences Associate Professor Oliver Timm says this season has seen unusual warmer and more humid weather.
“I think it’s the combination of the warm temperatures and the right timing when it’s warm and humid in the season that can lead to both favorable conditions for the mosquito species, which are different between West Nile Virus and the EEE, that both mosquito species have a better conditions, some of them than other years,” Timm notes.
Viruses such as West Nile Virus and EEE prefer warmer climates and Timm says anticipated temperatures due to climate change are expected to increase in New York.
“One can develop models to predict the spread of these diseases. For New York for the future climate scenarios that we have here where the temperatures are expected in the coming decades to increase by 3 to 5 Fahrenheit, there are different scenarios of course, but that’s a good average estimate,” Timm explains. “And when we plug that into our statistical models you see that the northern parts and northwestern parts of the state enter a climate regime that is more favorable, more optimal, for the reproduction rates of the virus in the natural system.”
There are no vaccines for West Nile Virus or EEE so Dr. Collins says individuals must take preventive measures to avoid bites.
“It’s wearing long sleeves, long pants. Also using appropriate insect repellents particularly DEET, is one that works really well. It’s been proven to be safe,” Collins says. “If you are going to use an insect repellent, if you’re going to use sunscreen you want to put the sunscreen on first and then put the insect repellent on top of that. And then there is something called Permethrin that you can spray your clothes with and that even lasts through a few washing cycles.”
According to the Clinton County Health Department, the symptoms of EEE and West Nile Virus are similar but EEE can develop into a more serious illness.
