Home

West Nile Virus

How Do People get infected?

People get infected by a mosquito bite.  The virus enters the blood stream and multiplies.  For people that develop life threatening encephalitis, the virus has crossed the barrier that normally protects the brain from viruses and bacteria. Once the West Nile virus has entered the brain, it causes inflammation of the tissues lining the brains as well as the fluid around the brain. In most cases this condition is diagnosed by a spinal tap that is then sent to a lab to identify the West Nile virus infection. 

Home