St. Bernard resident becomes first victim of West Nile virus this year, says health department
In a year that has seen a mosquito population boom due a mild winter and soggy spring, it’s not surprising that the state’s first case of West Nile virus in a human has come earlier than normal. The case was confirmed Thursday in St. Bernard Parish, state health officials said Friday.
Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals spokesman Ken Pastorick said the individual did not exhibit any signs of the illness. He said the state does not identify West Nile virus victims.
“In this case, the person was a blood donor and they found out that way, otherwise they wouldn’t have known that they had the disease at all,” Pastorick said.
State epidemiologist Dr. Raoult Ratard said the first human case of the virus typically is not reported until around mid-July each year.
About 90 percent of all cases are asymptomatic and only about 10 percent will develop West Nile fever, according to the state health department. A West Nile fever commonly results in only mild, flu-like symptoms.
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Case is asymptomatic, DHH says
The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals reported Louisiana’s first case of West Nile virus was in St. Bernard Parish.
Health officials characterize West Nile infections in three ways: neuroinvasive, West Nile fever and asymptomatic.
A neuroinvasive illness is severe and typically results in a swelling of the brain or spinal cord. West Nile fever is less severe, with most people only suffering mild, flu-like symptoms.
The DHH said that about 90 percent of all cases are asymptomatic.
So the new total should be 4 parishes with West Nile virus having been detected.
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https://battleofourtimes.wordpress.com/2012/06/20/west-nile-virus-detected-in-3-louisiana-parishes/
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