West Niles Virus Research Paper

West Nile Virus has many effects on the human body as well as on the bodies of other animals. West Nile is an extremely dangerous virus that attacks the Central Nervous System. It can cause inflammation of tissues in and around the brain and spinal cord. In humans, there are three levels of West Nile Virus, which have different symptoms. Humans can also get specific diseases such as encephalitis from West Nile Virus. West Nile Virus also affects animals. Wild birds and horses are the most susceptible to the virus and most animal deaths occur in these species. Dogs and cats are much less likely to contract the disease. The only way for a human or animal to get the disease is to be bitten by a mosquito

The incidence is highest in late summer and early autumn, until the first hard frost does away with the mosquito population for that year. Birds and other animals (such as horses) are the usual reservoir for the infection, and they are involved in its dissemination. Initial viral symptoms may give way to high fever and neck stiffness (meningeal signs). However, as with most forms of encephalitis, it is the confusion and depressed levels of consciousness (stupor) that mark the infection as being of the brain (encephalitis) and not just the meninges. West Nile Virus is an acute central nervous disease (McCance & Huether, 2014).

The main point of the press release is to notify the public that the West Nile Virus has surfaced and is active. One of the sub-points is to inform the public of the current case and the number of cases over the years of people who have been infected with the West Nile Virus. Another sub-point is to give the description and signs of the West Nile Virus. Another sub-point is to notify the public where the West Nile Virus is coming from. Another sub-point what is causing the mosquitoes to breed and how to prevent the breeding of the mosquitoes to notify the public that there are two types of West Nile Virus. The West Nile encephalitis and the West Nile poliomyelitis are the two viruses the press release also notified the public of the signs and symptoms of the west Nile virus. What to do and who to contact once bitten the press release gives a statistic of number of cases from 2002 to 2011 (2012). The press release also notifies the public who is at the highest risk to becoming ill with this type of virus. The press release also gives other website to seek out more information regarding the West Nile Virus.

The most recent outbreak of the West Nile virus was last reported in Southern California. There has already been three deaths around the San Diego area. California has been testing dead birds and the mosquito population. San Diego has been hit with 80 percent of mosquito’s which have been testing positive for West Nile Virus. Officials in the San Diego area, recommend that victims of the virus communicate with others, as most express that they feel no appreciable symptoms. The deaths are more likely to occur in elderly victims and those with weakened immune systems face a greater chance of developing severe symptoms, which may require

The pathogen - West Nile virus belongs to the family Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus and is part of an antigenic complex of Japanese encephalitis viruses. According to the classification of human-pathogenic microorganisms WNV belongs to II group of pathogenicity. Pathogen - flavivirus has an icosahedral shape, the approximate size is 40-50nm. Flavivirus has a single-stranded RNA, has a protein coat an enveloped capsid. Based on the differences of the nucleotide and amino acid sequences currently distinguish at least five genotypes WNV. Well-preserved frozen and dried state. Die at a temperature above 56 C after 30 min.

West Nile Virus is known as an arthropod-born virus, or an arbovirus, and are transmitted and sustained within blood feeding arthropods, such as the mosquito. The disease, while having no apparent effect on the host, is then transmitted as the mosquito takes a blood meal. As the source of infection, the mosquito or other blood feeding arthropod is known as a primary vector. However, because the life cycle of the mosquito is reletively short an additional host is needed to maintain the life cycle of the virus.

The history of the Zika Virus went all the way back to 1947 in Africa. Zika is a virus transmitted by an Aedes mosquito; which also . Now, the Lugandian word ‘zika’ is defined as overgrown. It all started when these scientist who initially were researching yellow fever by putting a pyrexial rhesus monkey in a cage , and isolated it in the Zika Forest. As the monkey was in the forest, it later progressed in a fever. The scientist who were conducting the research, stated that this is the Zika Virus, in 1952. The illness got it name from the place of isolation; in the Zika Forest. They claimed that the infection was found very rare in Africa and South America at the time, most of the causes

There is no specific antiviral treatment or vaccine for West Nile Virus. There are over the counter pills that you can buy to reduce and relieve some of the symptoms. If cases become sever patients can go to the hospital and receive supportive treatment like intravenous fluid, nursing care, and pain medication.

The Florida Keys is facing a crisis in the growth of deadly mosquito populations who pose a threat to its Tourists and residents. The species Aedes aegypti is an invasive species in the Florida Keys that carries Dengue Fever and Chikungunya and spreads these diseases to humans by biting them (Oxitec, “United States”). Dengue fever and Chikungunya are potentially fatal, viral ailments that have no present day treatment apart from treating patient’s symptoms (Oxitec, “United States”). According to the Florida Keys Mosquito Control Division (FKMCD), they present efforts for fighting off these mosquitoes is using insecticides; achieving a 50% eradication rate(“Oxitec OX513A Trial”). Oxitec believes that it has come up with a solution to combat the growth of Aedes aegypti populations using genetically engineered sterile male Aedes aegypti to sire offspring that will not survive into adulthood(Oxitec, “United States”). In response to this, many of the Key’s residents are protesting against the releasing of genetically altered mosquitoes as they feel

West Nile Virus is an infectious brain disease that rapidly spread across the United States in 1999. The virus was first identified and named by Smithburn and colleagues in 1937 while they were working in the West Nile district of Uganda. The scientists did not venture to Uganda to look for West Nile Virus, but were seeking cases of African sleeping sickness. Smithburn came across a serum of a 37 year-old woman suffering from fever. The woman was thought to have the protozoan. The test proved to be negative for that pathogen, but positive for a new viral entity- West Nile Virus. While mostly being reported in foreign countries, West Nile Virus has also found itself on United States soil. A total of forty seven states have reported cases of

CNN observes that the west nile virus is an illness spread by infected mosquitoes. The west nile virus has killed many people and you should use bug spray when you go outside mainly at night. The symptoms of the west nile virus take a while to show up and sometimes you will have this virus but get no symptoms. West nile virus can be deadly and harmless, but then when you get it who knows if it will be bad or good. (“CNN” 2016). This evidence supports my thesis statement because it answers

Similar to HIV, the Zika virus was first discovered in marsupials in 1947. The virus originated from the Zika forest, specifically being carried by members within the population of rhesus monkeys. Just a year later the virus was also detected in the mosquito Aedes africanus. Mosquitoes are the main culprit in spreading zika, however it has been reported that Zika can pass between organisms through sexual transmission. Blood tests have found antibodies that protect humans from the virus in people from India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Vietnam, The Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia. These antibodies show evidence of just how far the zika virus has traveled and how it has evolved over time.

The most sophisticated way may be to avoid the mosquitos altogether. According to the World Health Organization More than a handful governments and pharmaceutical companies are working on a vaccine for Zika. Some are hunting old-fashioned vaccines, like the ones used to protect from measles and chicken pox; these vaccines stimulate the body's immune response by exposing it to a faded version of the virus or just simply to the molecules from a virus that cause the body to produce antibodies. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) mentioned that by following the blueprint used to create a vaccine for the mosquito-borne West Nile virus would be a cheaper and faster way around it. That technique relies on injecting DNA particles — normally found inside the cells of a bacteria — that are separated from a cell's DNA and can duplicate by itself. DNA molecules (plasmids) have the advantage of carrying the DNA code for their virus' antigens, without being contagious, therefore stimulating the body's autoimmune response. So far, the plasmid-based West Nile virus vaccine was successful in its early experimental tests.

The “Zika virus is an emerging mosquito-borne virus that was first identified in Uganda in 1947 in rhesus monkeys… It was subsequently identified inhuman in 1952 in Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania”("Zika virus", 2016). However, unfortunately, it now has been reported in the United States as of 2016. The disease has been reported to cause potential neurological and auto-immune complications, as well as, increase the likelihood of babies being born with microcephaly or “a rare neurological condition in which an infant’s head is significantly smaller than the heads of other children of the same age and sex”("Microcephaly", 2016). Since the Zika virus is spread by mosquitos and their breeding sites it can pose a significant risk for the transmission of the virus, and prevention often relies on the source reduction of mosquitos themselves, which can often be difficult. “So far, 31 domestic cases have been reported all outside of the U.S. However, as warm weather approaches, the odds could be that local transmission of the mosquito-borne disease will begin to be seen (Bryant, 2016).

on this earth , approximately more than one-third of the world’s population are at risk for infection by dengue virus. Dengue virus is a very important cause of sickness and mortality in the areas located on tropics and subtropics. Approximately 400 million people are infected yearly. (CDC) There are not yet any vaccines available to prevent infection with dengue virus. The most efficient measures are those that avoid mosquito bites, vector control and precautions. After