How to Recognize Symptoms of West Nile Virus

West Nile virus is an infectious illness that is passed on to humans by certain types of mosquitoes. The virus originally settles on infected birds--and when mosquitoes come in contact with these birds, they become infected too and will pass it on to humans. Individuals with the virus can transmit it to others through blood transfusion or organ transplant. As the virus invades the body, the person may experience minor to no symptoms at all. However, in rare cases West Nile virus may impose a life-threatening illness to some people, such as inflammation of the brain and spinal cord.

Instructions

Mild Symptoms of West Nile Virus

• 1

  Take your temperature. After the virus invades an individual, it will take about 3 to 14 days before its symptoms set in. Mild fever (or West Nile Fever) that often appears with an abrupt start, is one of the minor symptoms of West Nile virus. This is sometimes accompanied with swollen lymph nodes.

• 2

  Observe if you ever feel any pain. Mild body aches and pains are often associated with minor symptoms of West Nile virus. You may feel slight headaches, backaches, mild eye pains, and muscle aches during the course of your low grade fever.

• 3

  Inspect your skin for rashes. Existence of some rashes on your skin is one of the typical minor signs of West Nile virus. Such rashes are often seen around the area of the stomach, chest and back.

• 4

  Check for other minor symptoms. Some individuals with mild West Nile virus may experience abdominal pain and diarrhea--along with nausea, vomiting and a poor appetite.

Severe Symptoms of West Nile Virus

• 5

  Keep an eye on your temperature. If your temperature is higher than 102 degrees, then you may be experiencing an advanced form of West Nile virus. High grade fever is often seen among individuals with severe signs of the virus. This can be associated with tremors and convulsions.

• 6

  Take note if you encounter any type of intensive pain. Body aches and pains are more intense when you suffer from severe symptoms of West Nile Virus. You may experience severe headache, neck stiffness, joint aches, and pain behind the eyes (which is usually due to your increased sensitivity to light).

• 7

  Notice if you feel any unusual sensations and changes in your body strength. When you are affected by severe West Nile virus, you may feel some numbness on certain parts of your body. Sudden muscle weakness may also occur, which can possibly lead to partial paralysis. Sometimes symptoms that are similar to Parkinson's disease can also occur, such as rigid muscles or muscle stiffness, and loss of autonomic movements like blinking or smiling.

• 8

  Monitor your mental state. It is typical for the mental state to be impaired when you are severely infected by West Nile virus. You may feel very sleepy or stuporous most of the time. Your coordination is also affected and you may also appear confused and disoriented. In some cases, loss of consciousness or coma may take place.