What are the symptoms of West Nile Virus ?
It takes approximately 2 to 15 days for the person to show the first signs of the virus after being bitten by the infected mosquito. The infection causes different clinical findings after the incubation period. Some cases show no symptoms, while others may be severe enough to require inpatient treatment or even death. Most of the time, the first symptom of the disease that develops due to West Nile Virus is headache. Symptoms of West Nile Virus, which often occur with flu-like symptoms, include headache and back pain, sudden high fever, weakness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle weakness, skin rash and excessive swelling of the lymph nodes, known as lymphadenopathy. In advanced cases, symptoms include numbness, inability to hold the neck upright, confusion, muscle twitching and tremors, coma, transient neurological dysfunctions known as convulsions, meningitis, encephalitis, ataxia and paralysis due to central nervous system involvement. Spotted blisters and rashes are frequently seen on the skin surfaces of children, especially between the ages of 0-18. Serious infections can result in inflammation of the heart muscle known as myocarditis, pancreatitis, and hepatitis. In the light of the studies conducted, it can be said that 80% of the disease does not show symptoms in people infected with West Nile Virus. High fever known as West Nile Fever is seen in 90% of the symptomatic cases in the 20% slice that show signs of the presence of the disease. Nervous system involvement is seen in 10% of total symptomatic cases. As a result of nervous system involvement due to West Nile Virus, the disease defined as West Nile Neuro Invasive Disease (BNNI) develops. Approximately 65% of BNNI progresses with the type of paralysis defined as encephalitis, 30% meningitis and the remaining 5% as acute flaccid paralysis. 1% of all West Nile Virus cases end up with such as meningitis, encephalitis, and stroke. Approximately 20% of cases that result in encephalitis result in death, while this rate is between 10% and 50% in stroke cases. Complaints of insomnia, muscle weakness, confusion, depression and headache continue for a long time due to encephalitis. Some patients may have permanent cognitive and neurological damage.
