A case of West Nile Virus has recently been discovered in Oswego County.

West Nile Virus is a virus contracted by mosquito bites. It is not contagious by human contact. Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia have reported cases of the West Nile Virus in the past.

Though 1 in 5 people who have the virus actually experience symptoms, it is always imperative to take precautionary action to prevent getting bitten by mosquitos.

Climate change is one factor for the spread of the disease because the prolonged warm weather is causing a high number of mosquitoes to thrive in the environment.

According to Dr. Jiancheng Huang, the director of the Oswego County Health Department, infected mosquitoes generally pass the virus between birds, mammals and humans. He further mentioned how there is no vaccine to prevent contracting the virus, but there are ways people can prevent getting bit by an infected mosquito.

Symptoms of West Nile Virus infection, called West Nile Fever if not linked to a neurological disease, include fever, fatigue, muscle pain, nausea and rash according to the Mayo Clinic.

West Nile Virus can cause neurological diseases, such as encephalitis, or swelling of the brain. It can also cause inflammation of the spinal cord, or poliomyelitis.

Even though it is more likely to find mosquitoes during the summer season, it is important to keep in mind that anyone can get bitten by them whenever the weather shifts to warmer temperatures. Areas that have dense woods and swamps are spots where it is crucial to take necessary steps to prevent getting bitten by mosquitoes. The Rice Creek Field Station, where many Oswego State students study, is an example of a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes because of the stagnant water.

Oswego State junior biology major Daniel Hatch said he feels as if no one should feel alarmed. The reason for this is the West Nile Virus is difficult to prevent from spreading.

“Even if you take all of the precautions you can to prevent it, it is not necessarily 100 percent effective,” Hatch said.

Hatch works as a zookeeper at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse, New York. He and other zookeepers administer West Nile Virus vaccines to some of the birds, including flamingos and roseate spoonbills. Though he feels that no one should be on edge, he does agree with health officials that one should try to take as many precautionary measures as possible to decrease the chances of contracting the West Nile Virus.

“Prevention would be using insect repellent when you are outdoors.  Wear long sleeves and pants from dusk to dawn when mosquitoes are most active,” Angela Brown, director of the Mary Walker Health Center, said. “Make sure windows have screens without holes or tears. Reduce standing water around your home.”

To get tested at the health center, blood tests are done to find the virus in a subject’s blood. To get tested for West Nile-related diseases like encephalitis, a lumbar puncture would need to be done at a hospital.

The lumbar puncture procedure, or “spinal tap,” is a procedure where a sample of spinal fluid is taken and tested for an increased white cell count. This is the most common way to diagnose West Nile Virus-related meningitis.

Photo: Taylor Woods | The Oswegonian