The emergence of the West Nile Virus in the United States in recent years has made most people more cautious when it comes to mosquitoes.

The potentially fatal infection is transmitted to humans and horses through mosquito bites. Mosquitoes contract the virus from biting infected birds. It has been a “significant cause of human illness since 2002,” according to the Center for Disease Control.

The virus is most commonly found in Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Since spreading to the U.S., it has been found in humans or animals in every U.S. state except for Hawaii, Alaska and Oregon.

The most common symptoms of the disease include fever, headaches, nausea, vomiting and skin rash. About one in every 150 people will contract more serious symptoms according to the Center for Disease Control.

The serious symptoms include high fever, convulsions, tremors, vision loss, paralysis and coma. Currently, no treatment or vaccination is available for humans with the virus. Mild symptoms usually subside on their own, while more serious symptoms require medical treatment.

In Sacramento, the virus has been a concern for most people. On Sept. 15, The Sacramento Bee reported that a Northern California man had been hospitalized for neurological illness and later died from the virus.

The man, whose name and date of death has not been released, is the first Northern California human fatality as a result of the virus.

Laurie Bisset Grady, director of Health Education at the Sac State Student Health Center, says that the media have heightened students’ consciousness surrounding the issue.

“We had students coming in around the beginning of September who had insect bites that they wanted looked at,” Grady said. “They didn’t ask directly about the West Nile Virus, they just showed concern.”

When students come in to the health center with concerns about insect bites or the virus they are provided with a fact sheet including background, symptoms and prevention.

Prevention tactics for the virus include wearing long sleeves and pants while outdoors, applying insect repellant containing DEET to skin, securing all screens on windows, making sure the screens are free of tears and eliminating standing water around the house. Standing water, such as in flowerpots or birdbaths, is prime mosquito breeding ground.

If students would like more information on the subject they are able to make an appointment with a health educator at the health center or they are referred to a number of different Web sites dealing with the issue. Some pertinent Web sites include: www.webMD.com, www.cdc.com and www.medline.com.

The Sacramento Bee reported last week that Sacramento County has the largest number of horses suffering from the virus in the state. Fifty-six cases of the virus in horses have been reported as of last week. A horse vaccination against the disease is available. However, many horse owners did not administer the shot in time.

As the mosquitoes get ready to migrate for the year, people are left to wonder about the virus for next year. There were 9,862 cases of the virus in the United States reported in 2003 according to the Center for Disease Control. The records for 2004 are not yet complete but so far there have been 1,865 cases reported.

For more information on West Nile Virus visit Health Education in the Student Health Center, 278-5427.