A Bay Area woman in her 30s contracted an extremely rare form of a West Nile meningitis virus this summer, and though she’s been released from the hospital, doctors are trying to figure out how she contracted the disease, health officials announced on Wednesday.
So far this year, there have been 18 confirmed cases of West Nile Virus in nine California counties, according to state health records – two of which were fatal, in Los Angeles and Sacramento counties. In the Southern California case, 79-year-old Albert Shipman of Carson spent two weeks in the hospital before he died this summer.
In Santa Clara County, the unidentified woman contracted West Nile meningitis, something that Dr. Sara Cody, the county's deputy health officer, said only 1 percent of those who contract West Nile virus get. West Nile meningitis causes the protective part of the brain and spine to swell.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, West Nile is most commonly transmitted to humans by mosquitoes. There are no medications to treat or vaccines to prevent the West Nile Virus infection, and most people infected have no symptoms. About 1 in 5 people who are infected will develop a fever, headaches, muscle pain, nausea and other symptoms. Less than 1 percent of infected people develop a serious, sometimes fatal, neurologic illness.
Joy Alexiou, spokeswoman for the Santa Clara County Public Health Department, said the woman became ill in mid-July, was sent to the hospital briefly, and is now recovering at home. She said health officials do not know where in the county the woman contracted the disease.
MORE: California's West Nile Virus Website
In San Diego, only one local person has been diagnosed with the virus in the last three years according to Eric McDonald, M.D., County of San Diego Deputy Public Health Officer.
The last human case of West Nile Virus in Santa Clara County occurred in 2011 and was fatal.
Statewide, 562 dead birds found carrying the virus were reported as of Wednesday.
Here are some of tips to stay safe:
- Stay inside when mosquitoes are biting at dawn and dusk
- If you have to be out where long sleeves, long pants
- Use insect repellent
- Check screens for holes
- Check property for places mosquitoes can breed
- Report dead birds or stagnant swimming pools
