Environmentalists have condemned attempts to control the transmitting mosquitoes by spraying pesticide, saying the detrimental health effects of spraying outweigh the relatively few lives that may be saved, and more environmentally friendly ways of controlling mosquitoes are available. They also question the effectiveness of insecticide spraying, as they believe mosquitoes that are resting or flying above the level of spraying will not be killed; the most common vector in the northeastern United States, Culex pipiens, is a canopy feeder. Treatment
No specific treatment is available for WNV infection. Most people recover without treatment. In mild cases, over-the-counter pain relievers can help ease mild headaches and muscle aches in adults. In severe cases supportive care is provided, often in hospital, with intravenous fluids, pain medication, respiratory support, and prevention of secondary infections. Prognosis
While the general prognosis is favorable, current studies indicate that West Nile Fever can often be more severe than previously recognized, with studies of various recent outbreaks indicating that it may take as long as 60 to 90 days to recover. Patients with milder WNF are just as likely as those with more severe manifestations of neuroinvasive disease to experience multiple somatic complaints such as tremor, and dysfunction in motor skills and executive functions for over a year. People with milder symptoms are just as likely as people with more severe symptoms to experience adverse outcomes. Recovery is marked by a long convalescence with fatigue. One study found that neuroinvasive WNV infection was associated with an increased risk for subsequent kidney disease.
Transient hypogammaglobulinemia of infancy is a form of hypogammaglobulinemia appearing after birth, leading to a reduction in the level of IgG, and also sometimes IgA and IgM. (The ratios of immunoglobulins vary rapidly in all infants, and the term dysgammaglobulinemia, although theoretically applicable, is not usually used in this context.) It can result in increased infections, but it can also present without symptoms. Pathophysiology
Normally, a newborns immunoglobulins come from the mother during pregnancy and wane after birth until 3-6 months of age, when the infant begins to start to produce their own IgG. However, in transient hypogammaglobulinemia of infancy, the IgG synthesis is delayed, and the hypogammaglobulinemia is prolonged beyond age 6 months. See also
List of cutaneous conditions

References


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