There's evidence that the West Nile virus may have spread beyond the bird population in Wisconsin.
State officials suspect the virus killed a horse in Washington County.
It would be Wisconsin's first case of the disease being found in a species other than birds.
The horse died Aug. 2 after coming down with symptoms of the disease a day earlier. An initial test at a state lab was positive for West Nile virus. The state is awaiting final confirmation from a lab in Iowa.
State agriculture department spokeswoman Donna Gilson says finding the disease in a horse shows there are mammal-biting mosquitoes in the area that are infected with the virus and could bite humans.
Extended Web Coverage
West Nile virus Facts
- The West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne virus that can cause encephalitis (an inflammation of the brain) or meningitis (inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord) in humans and other animals.
- The virus is named after the West Nile region of Uganda where it was first isolated in1937.
- The virus appeared for the first time in the United States during a 1999 outbreak in New York that killed seven people.
How is the West Nile virus Spread?
- The virus is spread to humans, birds and other animals through the bite of an infected mosquito.
- A mosquito becomes infected by biting a bird that is carrying the virus.
- West Nile virus is not spread from person to person, and no evidence indicates the virus can be spread directly from birds to humans.
- Only a small population of mosquitoes are likely to be infected and most people bitten by an infected mosquito do not become sick.
- 1 in 300 people bitten by an infected mosquito get sick.
- 1 in 100-150 who get sick become seriously ill.
- 3 to 15 percent of those seriously ill die.
Symptoms of the Virus
- The symptoms generally appear about 3 to 6 days after exposure. People over the age of 50 are at a greater risk of severe illness.
- Milder symptoms include: Slight fever, headache, body aches, swollen glands and/or sometimes a skin rash.
- Severe symptoms include: High fever, intense headache, stiff neck, and/or confusion.
Protecting Yourself
- Control mosquitoes from breeding around your home.
- Wear long and light colored clothing.
- Use insect repellent products with no ore than 20-30 percent DEET for adults and less than 10 percent for children.
- Spray repellent on your hands and then apply to your face. Be sure repellent is safe for human skin.
- Wash off repellent daily and reapply as needed.
Source: www.vdh.state.va.us contributed to this report
