The invisible consequences of West Nile virus

Texas Standard:

The West Nile virus made headlines in Texas in 2012. But the truth is that it probably infects thousands of people here every year, even though the actual number of confirmed cases tends to be quite low. This is because it is estimated that 80% of infected people have no symptoms and never consult a doctor. Others will fall ill and have flu-like symptoms. But for a small number of people each year, West Nile causes permanent disability, paralysis and death.

In 2012, Chuck Yarling, 68, was a passionate runner, biker and swimmer who had competed in more than 100 triathlons. In fact, he had participated just a few weeks before fainting in his apartment one afternoon in August. He woke up a few days later in a rehab hospital with a different man.

"They explained what was going on, I could not move my legs, I was in a wheelchair, I could move my arms, life was a bit of a shock," says Yarling.

Since then, Yarling has worked hard to regain his mobility and strength. He returned to cycling and swimming and recently completed an event called "Aquabike" with some support. But he still struggles to keep his balance and his goal of running again has remained inaccessible.

"If I do not show up at the end of this year, I probably will not be able to do it – six and a half years," says Yarling.

Walter Mizell was also a passionate runner before meeting an infected mosquito in 2012. He discovered that he was sick when his right leg gave him away on a trip. Like Yarling, he had the neuroinvasive variety of West Nile; it affects the nervous system and the brain. Once diagnosed, the doctors told Mizell that there was nothing to do.

"From there, it was more than managing the pain and dealing with the loss of strength on my right side. I lost the nerves that propel the muscles in my right leg and I had to relearn how to walk, "says Mizell.

This means that he too had to give up the race, even if he is cycling and walking. His professional life was also affected: Mizell was a full-time lawyer when he contracted the illness, but he had to close his practice because his ability to deal with stress was altered by the virus. He said the search for a support group made up of survivors helped him a lot to cope with the effects of the disease.

"What I learned from the support group in Dallas was that it was not just me, it was a natural evolution of the disease that made it difficult to handle stressful situations. And stressful situations are quite common in the practice of law, "says Mizell.

Both men say they are lucky to be alive, knowing that other people infected the same summer have died. West Nile has killed 167 people in Texas over the past decade, including Central Texas teenager Cody Hopkins. Her grandmother Rosalee Kibby told the state's working group on infectious disease preparedness and response that her death refuted a misconception about West Nile.

"I've heard people say," It's an age-related disease. That's not true. Cody was 13 years old. He was healthy, he played football, he was riding bulls, he was a very active young man, healthy and happy, "said Kibby.

Until now, the year 2018 has been relatively mild for West Nile Texas, with 98 human cases reported in mid-October and two deaths. But again, these numbers are well below the total number of people infected – we'll look at some of the reasons this happens tomorrow.

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