h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: West Nile Virus - A4353068
Author: radioactiveBigAl1 - on a different planet. SExpert. Keeper of Mnemonics and of the Renowned Glowing Pickle - U723247

This was originally written by Odradak, who hasn't been on h2g2 for some years. I did leave a message on his/her space to ask if (s)he would mind me polishing it for PR but, as expected, I've had no reply.

I have an interest in the Flaviviridae as this was the field of my research before I entered the teaching profession.

This Entry is slightly premature for two reasons:

(1) The Search Engine isn't working so I haven't yet put in all the links to h2g2 sites.

(ii) I have a paragraph entitled something like 'The Threat to Britain'. I am thinking of taking that out and submitting a separate Entry entitled 'WNV - The Threat to the UK'.
I was wondering what PR's think?

Hi BigAl

A minor comment, as a rewrite, it should have 'rewrite' in the title. And can we have the A number of the original Entry please.

Emmily

for that Emmily.

The original number was A447482.

I thought one only put 'Re-Write' in the title if the Entry was already in the EG - which this one isn't? I'll put it in if people think I should.

P.S. The Search Engine is working again now so I think I've put in as many links as I ca. (However, the 'Global Warming' Entry could do with a re-write!)

Ah, well done for confusing me BigAl, Though that’s not difficult to do.

By your original comments, I thought you were talking about an Edited Entry and with the Search not working, (it is now? ) I couldn’t check it out.

Scrap what I said in previous post.

I’ll just along and find somewhere to play, until everyone forgets my latest error

Emmily

P.S. Careful ing! ()

Are there any details available of more recent outbreaks? This list seems to stop with the '1998 - present' US outbreak, but surely there must have been others in the past 7 years.

Apart from that minor point, can I just say that I hate entries of this sort, as I've now convinced myself that I have all the symptoms described!

That's coz the symptoms are so similar to 'flu.

They mention West Nile pretty often on the local news here in Ohio.
I try not to worry about it so much. And I don't really watch the local news.

Good entry though.

Well, the most recent info I've been able to find thus far is that there were 223 deaths throughout the whole of the USA in 2003.

I've included info on a few more up-to-date outbreaks.

I'm going to read this at some point very soon. Sorry you haven't had much comment on this entry so far

I'm watching you Emmily

Kat

You might want to mention that West Nile has been a part of summer for a number of years in every province of Canada.

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/english/diseases/west_nile.html

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/english/media/releases/2003/2003_57bk2.htm

I've put in a mention for Canada

Here's something that might be of interest, although I don't necessarily think it needs to be added to the entry:

'Overall, the study found, 39 of the people tested – about three per cent – showed evidence of previous infection with West Nile virus.

Of the people who tested positive, 85 per cent said they had no idea they had been infected with West Nile. More than 60 per cent said they'd had no symptoms of fever during the summer of 2003.'

http://www.cbc.ca/story/science/national/2005/07/12/West-Nile050712.html

Quite interesting!

I'm not intending to keep doing this: I realize we're in Peer Review. But, just one last link for those interested:

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2005/07/14/mosquitoes050714.html

A little illustration of the political issues that can arise from the public health issue that west nile is.