West Nile disease confirmed in Babylon resident
Suffolk County Acting Commissioner of Health Services, David G. Graham, M.D., M.P.H., announced recently the second human case of West Nile Disease for 2006. The 63-year-old male resident of Babylon first became symptomatic with body aches, fatigue and low-grade fever on August 1. These symptoms persisted over the next two weeks when he also developed tremors in his hands and upper legs, hypersensitivity of the skin of his arms and eventually of the trunk and legs. He recalls sustaining two mosquito bites while in his backyard, approximately four to five days before his symptoms first began. He was not hospitalized. His physicians identified antibodies to the West Nile Virus with confirmation by the New York state Laboratory on October 26. This case is considered to be the milder form of infection, West Nile Fever, as the resident did not experience meningitis or encelphalitis. This is the second commented case of human West Nile Disease in Suffolk County this year. The first human case was in a Port Jefferson station resident in early August.
The bite of a mosquito that is infected with West Nile may transmit West Nile infection. Persons infected with the virus frequently have no symptoms or may develop flu-like symptoms. In more severe cases, individuals may develop a central nervous system infection leading to encephalitis or meningitis. Individuals 50 years of age and older and those with compromised immune systems are most at risk.
Dr. Graham states, "This time of year there is very little mosquito activity as the weather cools. However, please remember to maintain your household gutters and other sources of stagnant water to discourage mosquito breeding near your home next spring."
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