KDHE Home - News 2002 - News Release
Kansas
Department of Health & Environment
Bill Graves, Governor
Clyde D. Graeber, Secretary
For Immediate Release
September 27, 2002
Contact: Sharon Watson, 785-296-5795
While no human cases of West Nile Virus have been confirmed in Kansas, a Colorado man who works in Kansas has tested positive for WNV encephalitis, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the Centers for Disease Control.
The victim is from Prowers County, Colorado, which borders Hamilton County, Kansas. The man spends much of his time in Hamilton County for work and recreation, and may have been infected in Kansas. He has been released from a Colorado hospital and is recovering, according to Colorado health officials. While it's unknown whether the man was infected in Colorado or Kansas, it's important to remember infected mosquitos and birds travel from state to state and county to county. So far, Hamilton County, Kansas is not one of the state's 87 counties where West Nile Virus has been confirmed in mosquitos, birds or equine.
"Whether or not this victim was infected in Kansas, residents should not panic, but instead focus their attention on avoiding mosquitos and reducing breeding grounds for mosquitos around their homes and communities," said Dr. Gail Hansen, Assistant Deputy State Epidemiologist for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
West Nile Virus is transmitted when a mosquito bites an infected bird and then bites another animal or a human. Infected birds carry the disease for a short time, but only mosquitos transmit it to animals or humans.
West Nile Virus usually causes mild symptoms, but in rare cases can require medical treatment, and death can occur in very severe cases. These are generally in people over the age of 50 who have weak immune systems.
Mosquito control and protection is the best defense against West Nile Virus.
Symptoms of West Nile Virus are flu-like, such as headache, swollen glands, and muscle aches, as well as a rash. There is no vaccine or specific treatment for humans, however, if you develop signs of West Nile Virus encephalitis, with fever, muscle weakness, and confusion, you should seek medical care immediately. Testing for West Nile Virus in people is recommended only in cases of severe disease. Prior infection with West Nile Virus is thought to provide lifelong immunity to the virus.
"We are getting very close to the time of year when mosquitos aren't a problem in Kansas, and without mosquitos the virus does not spread." Dr. Hansen noted. "West Nile Virus cannot be spread from person to person, animal to person, or animal to animal."
Prior to its 1999 appearance in New York, West Nile virus had only been identified in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. The virus is named after the West Nile region of Uganda where it was first discovered.
For more information on West Nile Virus go to http://www.entomology.ksu.edu/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=711
and http://www.cdc.gov. Kansas residents can
report dead birds and get information about having birds tested by calling
toll free: 866-452-7810 The Dead Bird Hotline number has changed
and an updated number will be provided soon. The
University of Kansas Natural History Museum has set up a web page for reporting
dead birds online at http://nhm.ku.edu/birds/.