For
Immediate Release:
October 10,
2003
Contact:
Dr. Howard
Pue, or
Karen Yates
Section for
Communicable Disease Prevention
573-751-6113
The
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) announced today a
third death related to West Nile virus (WNV) in Missouri. The case was a
69-year-old woman from Jefferson County. As of October 9, Missouri has had 45
verified WNV cases, including the three deaths.
“Now that
October is here we can look forward to cooler temperatures that will begin to
limit mosquito activity, but we still could have a few more weeks of moderate
temperatures and occasional rains. These factors could combine to extend
mosquito activity and the risk of WNV infections well into the fall,” said Dr.
Howard Pue, state public health veterinarian. “People should continue to take
precautions to reduce their risk of mosquito bites and possible WNV infection.”
Pue added
that now that deer and turkey hunting seasons are here, more people will be out
in the woods during the height of daily mosquito feeding, which is early
morning and late evening. Hunters
should take special precautions to protect themselves from mosquito bites by covering
exposed skin and wearing insect repellent. There is little risk that hunters
will contract West Nile virus infection directly from harvested animals.
However, it is advisable to avoid direct contact with blood and other body
fluids when dressing game by following the usual precautions of wearing rubber
gloves and washing all contaminated clothing and equipment. Thoroughly cooking
all meat from wild game will also help prevent possible transmission of
diseases wild animals can carry.
Although
the majority of people who are infected with the WNV do not develop any
symptoms, the disease can cause encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain, in
a small number of individuals. This can result in permanent complications such
as paralysis, or even death. People over 50 years of age tend to be more seriously
affected by this disease, but anyone can develop encephalitis. Younger
individuals tend to contract the less serious form of infection, known as West
Nile fever. Symptoms are flu-like and include fever, headache, and body aches.
These symptoms may persist for days, weeks, or even months, and can be so
debilitating that individuals miss significant amounts of work.
For more
information on mosquito-borne diseases, contact your local health department or
DHSS at 1-866-628-9891. Additional information may be obtained by
visiting DHSS’s web site
at http://www.dhss.state.mo.us/WestNileVirus/.***