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Visit our West Nile
Virus
24-hour hotline
800-314-9243
602-364-4500 Phoenix Metro |
Click here to hear West Nile virus prevention messages by Governor Janet Napolitano
Click here to view Arizona's West
Nile Virus Activity
Symptoms and Treatment
The majority of people
(approximately 80%) who become infected with the virus will either have no
symptoms at all or very mild illness. About 20% percent will develop flu-like
symptoms such as headache, fever, body aches, swollen glands and muscle
weakness. For many West Nile virus infected patients these symptoms can
persist for weeks. Some people, especially the elderly, may experience more
severe symptoms, including high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness, and
encephalitis or inflammation of the brain.
If you have mild health
symptoms that you think might be from the West Nile Virus, you should get plenty
of rest, drink fluids, and avoid alcohol. If your symptoms persist and seem like
they are getting more severe, call your doctor. If you have a high fever, neck
stiffness, disorientation, tremors, muscle weakness or convulsions you should
seek immediate medical attention.
See our
Questions and Answers page for more information
Prevention
Mosquitoes
in Arizona can be infected with the West Nile virus. The virus was first found
in Arizona in 2003, and it will be a threat to Arizonans every year. If an infected mosquito bites you, you could get sick. That
means that we all need to work together to
prevent mosquitoes from breeding [PDF 945K]
or (poster in Spanish [PDF 1.0M]).
- Eliminate standing water,
which allows mosquitoes to breed. Check for conditions outside the home that may
provide potential for mosquito breeding, such as poorly maintained swimming
pools, cans, bottles, jars, buckets, old tires, drums and other containers with
water.
- Change water in flower
vases, birdbaths, planters and animal watering pans at least twice a week.
- Repair leaky pipes and
outside faucets, and move air conditioner drain hoses.
You can also protect yourself and your family by regularly using mosquito repellent
when you or your family are outside during the night. It is best to use
effective and long lasting repellents such as those containing the ingredients
DEET or picaridin. Be sure to follow instructions on the label. Wearing long
sleeved clothing when outdoors at night will also help prevent mosquito bites.
*Note: Some links above
are in PDF format. In order to download PDF documents,
Acrobat Reader™ is required.
