Commonly found in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, North America and West Asia, the West Nile Virus (WNV) is a viral infection which is typically spread by mosquitoes and can cause neurological disease as well as death in people. A section of the media has reported that a seven year old boy from Malappuram District of Kerala is suffering from a West Nile Virus (WNV).

Body:

First detected in a woman in West Nile district of Uganda in 1937, the virus was later identified in birds (crows and columbiformes) in Nile delta region in 1953. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the virus is a member of the flavivirus genus and belongs to the Japanese encephalitis antigenic complex of the family Flaviviridae. The largest outbreaks of the virus were recorded in Greece, Israel, Romania, Russia and USA.

Transmission of the WNV:

• Human infection is most often the result of bites from infected mosquitoes. Mosquitoes become infected when they feed on infected birds, which circulate the virus in their blood for a few days.
• The virus eventually gets into the mosquito’s salivary glands. During later blood meals (when mosquitoes bite), the virus may be injected into humans and animals, where it can multiply and possibly cause illness.
• The virus may also be transmitted through contact with other infected animals, their blood, or other tissues.
• A very small proportion of human infections have occurred through organ transplant, blood transfusions and breast milk. There is one reported case of transplacental (mother-to-child) WNV transmission.
• Horses, just like humans, are “dead-end” hosts, meaning that while they become infected, they do not spread the infection.
• Symptomatic infections in horses are also rare and generally mild, but can cause neurologic disease, including fatal encephalomyelitis.

India’s preparedness with respect to WNV:

• It is highly prevalent in India. Febrile illness and encephalitis cases in epidemic form were observed in Udaipur district of Rajasthan, Buldhana, Marathwada and Khandesh districts of Maharashtra.
• The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and officials from National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has reviewed the Kerala’s preparedness and actions taken to deal with West Nile Fever (WNF).
• The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) is an institute under the Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
• Kerala has been advised to follow the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme guidelines of personal protective measures to prevent mosquito bite. It has also been recommended to carry out vector surveillance and control measures
• There is no definite treatment of the disease. Prevention of the disease can be done by preventing mosquito bite, using repellents and wearing full sleeves.
• There is no vaccination or specific treatment available for the virus but medical practitioners advice that it is important to recognize the disease and manage the symptoms.

Way forward:

• Health care workers caring for patients with suspected or confirmed WNV infection, or handling specimens from them, should strictly follow standard infection control precautions.
• The samples taken from people and animals with suspected WNV infection should be handled by trained staff working in suitably equipped laboratories.
• The PHCs should be aware of such incidences and quickly help in reporting to the higher authorities.
• ASHAs and ANMs can help in better co-ordination at the grass-roots level.