Home » Case of Nile fever, the woman is out of danger. The Infectious Doctor’s advice: “Here’s how to avoid this virus”

Case of Nile fever, the woman is out of danger. The Infectious Doctor’s advice: “Here’s how to avoid this virus”

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It is a fairly recent virus, West Nile, present in mosquitoes, birds and horses. It is not transmitted from human to human. Massimo Crapis, head of the Asfo infectious disease service, explained to us the characteristics and consequences of the infection and how to defend yourself

PORDENONE. The 67-year-old woman who contracted West Nile Virus infection is out of danger. The Asfo Prevention Department (Western Friuli Healthcare Company) carried out an inspection of the woman’s home, in an area not densely populated between Villanova and the locality of Le Peressine in Prata, and today we will proceed with the disinfestation.

It is a fairly recent virus, West Nile, present in mosquitoes, birds and horses. It is not transmitted from human to human. Massimo Crapis, head of the infectious disease service of the Asfo, explained to us the characteristics and consequences of the infection and how to defend yourself.

When did this virus arrive in Italy?

“The first report is in 1998. In our area only animals or mosquitoes have tested positive since 2006. The first human cases were recorded in 2018. The virus comes from the African continent: the first reports have come from the Nile side of Uganda and from there, then, the virus spread through migratory birds and arrived in Europe ».

What are the symptoms?

«In 80 per cent of cases the infection is asintonamtic, in the others it tends to cause fever or flu syndrome. In 1 percent it has the neuroinvasive form, with symptoms that, in addition to fever, involve the involvement of the central nervous system: in most cases encephalitis, in minor meningitis and flaccid paralysis. Mortality is also very low and concerns those with severe forms with neurological involvement ».

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How can we defend ourselves?

“There is no vaccine and no therapy. The only real defense is the management of mosquitoes, protection from bites. In general terms there are disinfestations, carried out periodically at the environmental level, but it is clear that they will never be sufficient without the contribution of every single person. Care must be taken not to keep containers or manholes in which water can stagnate. At the level of individuals, repellents based on Deep or icaridin are also recommended, as well as environmental mosquito killers ».

What are vector mosquitoes?

The Culex Pipiens, the common mosquito, a so-called endophilic that prefers to live inside the houses. So it is good to use mosquito nets or close the windows after 6pm, the time when they show up. It is also a way to reduce its presence ».

In case of infection are almost the measures taken?

«The mosquito does not make great flights, it travels about 200-300 meters. Therefore, disinfestation is planned within a radius of 300 meters from the home of a person found to be infected. In these cases, an inspection is carried out to understand if there are the criteria for disinfestation. If one lives in a house in a village it makes sense, in a single house in the middle of the fields it does not ».

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