October 08, 2009

West Nile virus lands man in hospital

A 63-year-old Serra Mesa (San Diego neighborhood) man hospitalized with Encephalitis has become the county's first person to acquire the West Nile virus locally, county health officials announced today.

Two other cases of individuals with West Nile virus have been found in the county this year, but the virus was acquired outside the county, officials said. This season has been called "moderate be health officials.

Most people who contract West Nile never get sick. Those who do are typically older than 50 or have compromised immune systems. There are no treatments or vaccine for the virus.

Officials recommend avoiding mosquito bites by using repellent and wearing long sleeves and pants. More tips can be found at www.SDFighttheBite.com .

Posted by Jose Jimenez | 02:09 PM

http://weblog.signonsandiego.com/news/b ... ile_v.html