West Nile virus confirmed in Midland County

May 7—City of Midland Health Services has confirmed West Nile Virus (WNV) in Midland County for the first time this year.

Midland Health Services places mosquito traps throughout the county, and the Department of State Health Services laboratory tests the mosquitoes for diseases. The state has notified the City of Midland that some of the mosquitoes tested positive for West Nile Virus.

The incubation period for West Nile Virus is typically 2 to 6 days, but ranges from 2 to 14 days and can be several weeks in immunocompromised people. An estimated 70-80% of human WNV infections are subclinical or asymptomatic. Most symptomatic persons experience an acute systemic febrile illness that often includes headache, weakness, myalgia or arthralgia; gastrointestinal symptoms and a transient maculopapular rash also are commonly reported. Less than 1% of infected persons develop neuroinvasive disease, which typically manifests as meningitis, encephalitis, or acute flaccid paralysis, a news release said.

West Nile Virus meningitis is clinically indistinguishable from viral meningitis due to other etiologies and typically presents with fever, headache, and nuchal rigidity.

West Nile Virus encephalitis is a more severe clinical syndrome that usually manifests with fever and altered mental status, seizures, focal neurologic deficits, or movement disorders such as tremor or parkinsonism.

West Nile Virus acute flaccid paralysis is usually clinically and pathologically identical to poliovirus-associated poliomyelitis, with damage of anterior horn cells, and may progress to respiratory paralysis requiring mechanical ventilation. WNV poliomyelitis often presents as isolated limb paresis or paralysis and can occur without fever or apparent viral prodrome. WNV-associated Guillain-Barré syndrome and radiculopathy have also been reported and can be distinguished from WNV poliomyelitis by clinical manifestations and electrophysiologic testing. (CDC WNV Clinical Evaluation & Disease)

The Texas Department of State Health Services urges people to not give mosquitoes a biting chance by following these steps to protect themselves and their families from West Nile and other diseases spread by mosquitoes.

— Wear long sleeves and pants. Create a barrier to mosquito bites by covering up.

— Apply insect repellent. Use EPA-registered repellent such as those containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol or 2-undecanone.

— Remove standing water. Emptying out water that accumulates in toys, tires, trash cans, buckets, clogged rain gutters and plant pots will deny mosquitoes a place to lay their eggs and reproduce.