Oklahoma reports 3 human cases of West Nile virus

Oklahoma State Health Authorities report reporting the first three human cases of West Nile Virus (WNV) for the season. Cases have been confirmed among residents of the counties of Canada, Grant and Tulsa.

WNV is spread by the bite of the Culex mosquito, which feeds on infected birds and transmits it when it bites humans, horses and some other mammals. This type of mosquito increases in number between the middle and the end of the summer, when temperatures rise and the weather conditions are dry. Health officials expect the number of cases to increase as temperatures rise during the summer.

The symptoms of WNV vary considerably depending on the risk of contracting a more serious disease involving the central nervous system. Some may experience sudden fever, headache, dizziness and muscle weakness and recover within one to three weeks, while others develop life-threatening meningitis or encephalitis, causing confusion, stupor , paralysis or coma.

Long-term complications of WNV disease may include difficulty concentrating, migraines, extreme muscle weakness and tremors, as well as paralysis of a limb. People over the age of 50, people with diabetes, or people with uncontrolled hypertension are at greater risk of getting serious neurological disease from WNV. There is no vaccine or treatment medication for the disease. The only defense is to take steps to avoid mosquito bites.

In 2018, Oklahoma reported 18 cases of WNV in humans, including one death.

Since the introduction of WNV in Oklahoma, there have been 3 years of outbreaks – 2003, 2007 and 2012. Each of these seasons has been characterized by summer temperatures above normal and a drought.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health provides the following tips to prevent mosquito bites and to prevent WNV:

• Use an insect repellent containing DEET, picaridine or IR3535 on exposed skin and clothing when you go out, especially between dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes are more likely to sting. The insect repellent with permethrin should be used only on clothing.
• Repair or install mosquito nets to protect mosquitoes from the house.
• Prevent objects such as buckets, cans, pool covers, flowerpots, children's toys and tires from holding water so mosquitoes do not have a place to breed.
• Empty an outdoor bowl of water from an animal and fill it every day.
• Rub and fill the bird baths every three days.
• Clean leaves and debris from rain gutters regularly to make sure they are not clogged.

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