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4 SOUTHERN SENIOR MAGAZINE | Summer 2020 Hot summer weather in the South means mosquitoes. And mos- quitoes mean it’s time to prevent WNV (West Nile Virus). Louisiana and Mississippi have been leading the nation the past few years in the number of people who have become the most se- riously ill from West Nile virus. State health departments are warning residents to take precautions against mosquitoes, which spread the virus. Dr. Paul Byers, Mississippi’s state epidemiolo- gist, said Mississippi is “always” among the states with the high- est rates for West Nile virus. According to a 2015 article in the ScienceDaily REPORT, West Nile virus (WNV) is particularly dangerous in older people, who account for many severe cases and deaths caused by the virus. WNV infection turns serious when the virus crosses the blood- brain-barrier and wreaks havoc among nerve cells in the brain. A study published on July 23rd in PLOS Pathogens suggests that several critical components of the early immune response to the virus are impaired in elderly individuals, and that this can ex- plain their vulnerability. The Center of Disease Control (CDC) says that not all people who are infected with the virus become ill. Not even all seniors who have been infected. Much has to do with the overall health of the individual, and early diagnosis and treatment. CDC fig- ures often lag behind state reports. Last year, Louisiana reported there had been 31 residents with dangerous nervous system in- fections, including two deaths, and 13 cases of West Nile fever. Mississippi had reported 10 fever cases in addition to the 15 nervous system infections, and 6 deaths. It is believed these doc- umented case numbers are low. Many seniors who are infected with the virus die, but their deaths are attributed to other health problems caused by their advanced age. According to MSDH State Epidemiologist Dr. Paul Byers, most cases of West Nile occur from July through September in Mississippi, but de- pending on when mosquitoes become more ac- tive, can start as early as May. Residents, especially senior citizens should be aware of the symptoms of WNV, and look out for those during this peak time. Symptoms of the West Nile virus are often mild and may go overlooked. Symptoms may include: fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, a rash, muscle weakness or swollen lymph nodes. These same symptoms are most often attributed to flu, when it is WNV. If not diagnosed early, the virus can be- come much more dangerous to the elderly. In a small number of WNV cases, infection can result in encephalitis or meningitis, which can lead to paralysis, coma and possibly death. Reports of infections of the brain and nervous system are more reliable indicators of West Nile’s seriousness than statistics for flu-like West Nile fever or symptomless infections found most often when people donate blood, he and Ratard both said. That’s because most patients will be hospitalized, Ratard said. By Delores Wood Retired Seniors Less Resistant to WNV Disease