SPC Professors Battle West Nile Virus

 Amanda Hurt, staff writer

With the number of West Nile cases growing in staggering amounts every year, the virus has claimed two more people in the state of Texas.

Jesse Day, an instructor of computer information systems for South Plains College, and his wife, Janna Holt-Day, assistant professor of speech, became infected with West Nile at the end of September. The two believe they contracted the virus in the backyard of their home in Levelland.

Approximately seven days after they spent the weekend in their backyard, both started experiencing flu-like symptoms, which happen to be classic symptoms for the West Nile Virus. Janna began having symptoms first by running a high fever, having horrible headaches, rashes, body aches and fatigue, though she did not go to see a physician right away.

Not long after, Jesse started having the same symptoms. So he went to see his doctor.

“A blood sample was taken from me, and the results came back alarmingly low,” said Jesse. “The doctor immediately reacted and gave me a cocktail of medication to treat me for the possibility of several things. At that time, neither of us knew what kind of virus it was.”

When Janna went to the doctor, she was diagnosed with the West Nile Virus from the results of her blood test. After she was diagnosed, Jesse was also diagnosed with the virus.

“We didn’t know we had signs of the classic symptoms until we looked back,” Janna said. “It also made us feel better that we knew what was causing our sickness instead of not knowing.”

The Days were lucky and didn’t have to be hospitalized. Since there is no known cure for the virus, their doctors gave them advice and resources to help their bodies regain their strength and fight the virus.

“Eat properly and rest so your body can help the virus run its course,” said Jesse. “Your body will tell you what it can do and what it can’t do.”

The Days’ daughter has also had to be tested for West Nile Virus, but the results have not been received yet.

The West Nile Virus is a mosquito-borne disease that is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito. It first appeared in the United States in 1999 and reached the state of Texas in June of 2002.

 “A person who has been bitten by an infected mosquito usually starts experiencing symptoms between three and 15 days after being bitten,” said DeEtte Edens, coordinator of student health services for South Plains College.

In 80 percent of the people who contract West Nile Virus, symptoms may not be so apparent. But the other 20 percent of individuals experience flu-like symptoms, such as high temperature, headache and body aches, rashes, swollen lymph glands and fatigue, according to Edens. These symptoms usually last a few days or even several weeks.

Less than one percent of those who contract West Nile get a severe infection. In these cases, the person may develop encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) or meningitis (inflammation of the membrane surrounding the brain and spinal cord or both). Symptoms can include: headache, high temperature, stiff neck, muscle weakness and paralysis, sore eyes, disorientation, fits and coma. Symptoms of severe infection may last several weeks, and some effects of the disease on the brain can become permanent.

Those who are at the greatest risk for the virus are those who are older than age 50 and those who have weak immune systems. The West Nile Virus cannot be passed directly from one person to another. It is only passed on by infected mosquitoes. Even if a mosquito bites someone who has West Nile and then bites someone else, it’s highly unlikely to spread, because people hardly develop high enough virus levels in their blood to infect mosquitoes.

There are no specific treatments for the West Nile Virus, so most people with the virus get better by themselves. The flu-like symptoms brought on by the virus can be treated with normal painkillers.

As of Oct. 25, 2005, 2,435 human cases of West Nile Virus have been reported from 42 states, including 73 cases which resulted in death, according to the National Pesticide Information Center. In Texas alone there were 117 cases, with eight reported deaths.

Statewide, in 2005, there have been 488 cases of the virus found in 189 birds, 284 mosquitoes and 15 horses, according to the Texas Department of Health.

People can protect themselves from possible infection by using mosquito repellents, particularly those with DEET, wearing pants and long sleeve shirts and by avoiding going outside during times when mosquitoes are most common, such as at dusk and at dawn. People can also stay away from standing pools of water and drain any pools of standing water.

“I ended up having to miss a week and half of work due to the virus, so it takes a lot of you,” said Janna. “ The virus effects all people differently, so don’t ignore the signs if you think you might have contracted the virus. Go to a doctor and get it checked out, the sooner the better. Make sure you protect yourself and the people around you from mosquitoes.”

For more information on the West Nile Virus contact, your local physician or view websites such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.org).