West Nile Fever: an infectious disease doctor tells about symptoms and how to protect yourself from the disease
Kyiv • UNN
There were 17 patients in a Kyiv hospital with West Nile fever, which is transmitted by mosquitoes. An infectious disease doctor spoke about the symptoms, risk groups, and methods of protection against this disease, which can affect the nervous system.
Since the beginning of the summer, a Kyiv hospital has treated 17 patients diagnosed with West Nile fever, which is transmitted by mosquitoes and can cause nervous system damage and sometimes death. In a commentary to UNN, infectious disease doctor Serhiy Kramaryov told who the main carrier of the virus is, what its symptoms are, and how to protect yourself from it.
In Ukraine, there are cases of West Nile fever, there are already people who have died from this infectious disease, and there are cases of death from it in Kyiv. We have this fever in Ukraine, which is transmitted by a virus. The source can be migratory birds, and in the city it can be domestic birds. Pigeons and other similar birds can be a source of infection. Mosquitoes bite birds and then bite humans, which can make them sick
He noted that there is currently no vaccine against this virus, and the only way to protect yourself, he said, is to fight mosquitoes.
"There is no more protection, and there is no specific treatment. We have to put up mosquito nets to keep them away. Mostly people living in rural areas get sick because migratory birds nest there. They are the source of this infection. Birds can also die from this fever, but they are mostly easy to tolerate, and it varies in people. 90% (of the symptoms - ed.) are similar to the flu or a cold: fever, bone aches, headache. Elderly people, people with various diseases that affect the immune system, such as HIV, oncohematological diseases, those with immune problems, they can get seriously ill. It also affects the nervous system. The disease can cause meningitis, encephalitis, which can cause death in a person. But these are mostly people at risk," Kramaryov added.
However, he emphasized that it is worth knowing that this disease is not transmitted from person to person, only through mosquitoes.
"Only through blood, when a mosquito bites and then bites another and transmits the virus," the doctor summarized.
Recall
Since June 1, 17 patients have been treated in the capital's hospital with West Nile fever, a disease transmitted by mosquitoes. Three patients could not be saved due to complications.
