Warmer weather means the appearance of skin-bearing fashions. It also means the appearance of mosquitoes.
In the Mid-South, residents are at particularly high risk of being infected with the West Nile Virus (WNV). This is due to increased chances of rain, especially during the summer months and into early fall, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"This virus is especially harmful to the very old and the very young," said Jacqueline De Fouw, health educator at the University of Memphis' Hudson Health Center.
WNV, which affects the central nervous system, is most frequently transmitted to humans by mosquitoes.
There were 14 human cases of WNV in the state of Tennessee last year, 12 of those in Shelby County. Of the 405 cases of WNV found in mosquitoes, 400 of them were also in Shelby County, according to a report by the United States Geological Survey.
Although the virus is mainly spread through infected mosquitoes, in some instances it can be spread through blood transfusions or organ transplants. It can also be passed during breast milk and from mother to child through pregnancy.
Some symptoms can last for several weeks, with permanent neurological effects. Other symptoms, such as high fever, headache and neck stiffness, are common to other diseases.
Milder symptoms of WNV, which affect up to 20 percent of people who are infected, include fever, headache and body aches, nausea, vomiting, and swollen lymph glands or a skin rash. These symptoms can last for as little as a couple of days up to as much as several weeks.
The 80 percent of people infected may not show signs of WNV.
"I have a couple of friends that had it," said Emily Dockery. The junior English major may not know much about WNV but she knows how to protect herself.
"I put bug spray on when I go outside," she said.
The easiest way to avoid WNV, according to the CDC, is to prevent mosquito bites. The CDC recommends using insect repellants containing DEET (n, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) whenever participating in outdoor activities of any kind.
"When buying insect repellant, look for one with a DEET concentration of 10 to 35 percent," said De Fouw.
DEET can be found in a majority of insect repellants like Off! and Cutter, which are available in many retail stores.
"Wearing long sleeved shirts and pants when outside and using repellant are the best ways that I know of to keep from getting bit by mosquitoes," said Elliot Hobson, a junior psychology major.
The Hudson Health Center's Web site provides a newsletter for students at The U of M filled with information about the West Nile Virus. The newsletter, written by Dr. Wayne Capooth, gives tips for protecting against the virus and provides links to additional Web sites for more information.
"People need to be particularly careful in the early morning and early evenings," said De Fouw. "That's when mosquitoes are the worst."
