• What is West Nile Virus?
  West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne disease that can cause encephalitis, or a brain infection. Mosquitoes acquire the virus from birds and pass it on to other birds, animals and people. Mosquitoes spread this virus after they feed on infected birds and then bite people, other birds and animals. It is not spread by person-to-person contact and there is no evidence that people can get the virus by handling infected animals.
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• What are the symptoms?
  People with mild infections may experience fever, headache, body aches, skin rash and swollen lymph glands, this is called West Nile Fever. People with more severe infections may experience high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, occasional convulsions and paralysis, this is called West Nile Encephalitis. If you have any of these symptoms, contact your doctor.
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• How do humans get West Nile?
  The principle route of human infection is through the bite of an infected mosquito. The majority of the people who get infected with the virus have no illness or at most, have an infection similar to a mild flu with fever, headache and fatigue. Rarely, will the virus multiply in the central nervous system and cause the brain disease called encephalitis. While most infections are usually mild, West Nile Encephalitis can result in death or serious brain damage. Some improvements may be seen after some time. There is no specific treatment for West Nile virus infection, nor a vaccine. While most people fully recover from the viral infection, in some severe cases hospitalization may be needed.
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• How can I protect myself
  It is not necessary to limit any outdoor activities, unless local officials advise you otherwise. However, you can and should try to reduce your risk of being bitten by mosquitoes. In addition to reducing standing water in your yard, make sure all windows and doors have screens, and that all screens are in good repair.
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The information above is limited in its scope and is only intended to provide a general understanding of the West Nile Virus. The U.S. Map above provides links to each State's Department of Public Health Web Site where you can find more detailed information and current status of the virus in the State. If the web site has a page dedicated to the West Nile Virus then you are automatically taken to that page or to recent news releases, otherwise the Home Page is displayed. I hope these links and the information they contain are helpful to you.