How To Identify Symptoms of West Nile Virus

When a mosquito bites, it injects you with a tiny amount of saliva. If that mosquito recently fed on bird infected with the west Nile Virus, you might have just received more than a bug bit, because mosquitoes don't just transmit diseases from person to person, they can also deliver the goods from one species to another.

The good news though is that around 80% of people who contract west Nile Virus don't even notice. But for the unfortunate few, vomiting, disorientation, tremors, convulsions and vision loss are just a handful of symptoms that arise two to 14 days after being bitten.

About 1 in 150 people infected will develop a more severe illness when the virus enters the brain. And in the most severe cases, infectious bites can lead to permanent paralysis, severe neurologic illness and even death.

Although there's no way to prevent the virus, you can reduce the likelihood of receiving a bite from a mosquito by getting rid of any standing water outside your home where mosquitoes lay eggs and breed, making sure your doors and windows have tight fitting screens, and of course, using insect repellent.