'Fight the Bite' to Prevent West Nile Virus Disease

Northwest Georgia Public Health officials are preaching precaution to prevent West Nile virus infections. WNV is a seasonal, mosquito-borne disease in North America that flares up in the summer and continues into the fall. 

Outbreaks occur each summer throughout the U.S., so experts recommend steps to "Fight the Bite."

“The easiest and best way to prevent West Nile is to avoid mosquito bites,” spokesman Logan Boss said in a release. “Personal protection is critical. Take the necessary precautions to prevent mosquito bites. 

"Source reduction is the other key prevention strategy. Eliminate mosquito- breeding sites, especially those close to your home.”

Last year, 5,674 cases of the disease were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including 286 deaths. Texas was especially hard hit in what was the second worst WNV outbreak since the disease was first detected in the U.S. in 1999. 

In 2012, Georgia reported 100 cases of WNV with six deaths. In northwest Georgia, Bartow, Catoosa and Floyd counties each reported one case; the Catoosa case was fatal. The average age of those affected in Georgia was 55 years; 66 percent were male.

West Nile virus is a disease of birds transmitted to people by infected mosquitoes. In Georgia, most people are infected from June through September, and the number of these infections usually peaks in mid-August.

Seasonal outbreaks often occur in local areas and can vary from year to year. Many factors impact when and where outbreaks occur, such as weather, numbers of mosquitoes that spread the virus and human behavior.

“West Nile is very hard to predict,” Boss said. “The factors that lead to West Nile outbreaks are complex, so we can’t predict where and when they will occur. 

"What last summer's outbreak tells us is that West Nile is not going to go away.  Most places in the United States, including northwest Georgia, are at risk of having outbreaks.”

Boss said “people should assume West Nile is endemic in their area and take the proper precautions to protect themselves and their family,” including:

• Use EPA-registered insect repellents when you go outdoors and follow directions on the package.
• Wear long sleeves and pants if outdoors at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active.
• Install or repair screens on windows and doors to keep out mosquitoes. Use air conditioning, if you have it.
• Get rid of mosquito breeding sites by emptying standing water from items outside your home such as flowerpots, buckets, kids’ wading pools and old tires.

Approximately 1 in 5 people who are infected with WNV will develop symptoms such as fever, headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea or rash.

Less than 1 percent will develop a serious neurologic illness, such as encephalitis or meningitis (inflammation of the brain or surrounding tissues). About 10 percent of people who develop neurologic infection due to WNV will die.

People older than 50 and those with certain medical conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease and organ transplants, are at greater risk for serious illness.

There are no medications to treat, or vaccines to prevent, West Nile virus infection. People with milder illnesses typically recover on their own, although symptoms may last for several weeks. In more severe cases, patients often need to be hospitalized to receive supportive treatment, such as intravenous fluids, pain medication and nursing care.

Anyone who has symptoms that cause concern should contact a health care provider.

For more information on West Nile virus and how to protect yourself and your family from the disease, visit the CDC's West Nile page.

For information on insect repellent use and effectiveness, go to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's website. go to

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