Roseville Resident Among First Human West Nile Cases in Placer County

One Roseville resident and two Lincoln residents recently tested positive for the West Nile virus — the first residents to test positive for the virus in Placer County this year.

In all three cases, it started with meningitis earlier in August, according to a news release from Placer County Health and Human Services. The three, one adult from Roseville and one adult and one child from Lincoln, were all hospitalized and tested positive for West Nile virus. They are now recovering. None of the people were from the same household, according to Mike Fitch, Assistant Public Information Officer with Placer County.

None of the residents had done extensive traveling, Fitch said, so they are unsure how they became infected with the virus.

“Because West Nile infections are preventable, these cases, and the positive mosquitoes and birds found this season in western areas of the county, remind us all that we must take some simple precautions to avoid mosquito bites,” said Dr. Richard Burton, Health Officer and Director of Placer County Health and Human Services, in a news release.

Earlier this month, officials from the Centers for Disease Control said this since the mosquito-borne illness first appeared in the United States in 1999.

West Nile virus symptoms may include headache, fever, body aches, vomiting, nausea, swollen lymph glands, and skin rash on the chest, stomach and back.

Residents can help reduce the threat by eliminating unnecessary standing water in discarded tires, buckets, kiddie pools and stock backyard ponds or other permanent water features with mosquitofish. Residents are encouraged to report mosquito problems, neglected swimming pools or dead birds to the West Nile virus hotline at 1-877-968-2473 or online at www.westnile.ca.gov.

Placer County Health and Human Services also reports:

West Nile virus is transmitted by the bite of a mosquito, usually in the two weeks before illness. The risk of serious illness to most people is low. However, some individuals – less than 1 percent – can develop a serious neurologic illness such as encephalitis or meningitis. People 50 years of age and older have a higher chance of getting sick and are more likely to develop complications. Recent data also indicate that those with diabetes and/or hypertension are at greatest risk for serious illness.

The California Department of Public Health reported Tuesday that 44 people from 15 counties have tested positive for WNV during 2012. California’s West Nile virus website, www.westnile.ca.gov, includes the latest information on West Nile virus activity in the state.

Stay Patched in! Follow Roseville Patch on Twitter | Like Roseville Patch on Facebook | Sign up for the daily email with links to the latest news.