What are the symptoms of West Nile virus?

West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne illness that can cause a range of symptoms in humans. While many infections are asymptomatic, symptomatic cases can vary from mild to severe, including neuroinvasive diseases.

Key insights from the research papers include:

Persistent symptoms such as fatigue, muscle aches, decreased activity, difficulty with memory, and difficulty concentrating are reported by a significant proportion of individuals following WNV infection, with some symptoms lasting more than six months post-infection.
Common manifestations of West Nile fever include muscle weakness, fatigue, headache, difficulty concentrating, and fever, with approximately one-third of patients requiring hospitalization and a median recovery time of 60 days.
Symptoms of WNV infection can include fever, altered mental status, gastrointestinal complaints, back pain, and rash, with some cases developing severe neurological conditions such as meningitis, encephalitis, or myeloradiculitis.
In the pediatric population, fever, rash, nausea, and vomiting were prominent symptoms, with the median duration of illness being 7 days.
A range of movement disorders can develop in patients with neuroinvasive WNV infection, and these can be a significant aspect of the disease's presentation.
Rare presentations of WNV infection can mimic Guillain–Barré syndrome, indicating the virus's potential to cause diverse neurological symptoms.
Ocular manifestations such as chorioretinal lesions and iridocyclitis have been observed in nonfatal cases of WNV infection.

In conclusion, West Nile virus infection can lead to a spectrum of symptoms ranging from mild, flu-like symptoms to severe neurological and ocular conditions. Persistent symptoms can affect patients for an extended period, and the severity of the disease can necessitate hospitalization and long recovery times. Awareness of the diverse clinical presentations, including movement disorders and ocular symptoms, is important for the timely diagnosis and management of WNV infection.

What are the symptoms of West Nile virus?

Summary

Sources and full results

Demographic and clinical factors associated with persistent symptoms after West Nile virus infection.

Persistent symptoms persist in most individuals more than six months after West Nile virus infection, with neuroinvasive disease, hypertension, or diabetes being significant risk factors.

Clinical Characteristics and Functional Outcomes of West Nile Fever

West Nile fever, even without neurologic manifestations, is a potentially severe and debilitating illness with common symptoms like muscle weakness, fatigue, headache, difficulty concentrating, and fever.

West Nile virus infection

West Nile virus infection can cause an overlapping spectrum of meningitis, encephalitis, and myeloradiculitis, with symptoms including fever, rash, abdominal and back pain, and flaccid weakness.

West Nile Virus Infection in the Pediatric Population

West Nile virus infections in children younger than 18 years can cause fever, rash, nausea, and vomiting, with a median duration of 7 days.

Clinical Manifestations and Outcomes of West Nile Virus Infection

West Nile virus infection can cause self-limited febrile illness or severe neuroinvasive diseases, with more severe manifestations in older individuals or those with immunosuppression.

Guillain–Barré syndrome: An unusual presentation of West Nile virus infection

West Nile virus infection can occasionally cause neurologic diseases, such as Guillain-Barré syndrome, in elderly patients.

West Nile Encephalitis

West Nile virus is the etiologic agent in four encephalitis fatalities in New York City in 1999, with inflammation mainly in the brain stem and medulla, and one person had acute pancreatitis.

Spectrum of Movement Disorders in Patients With Neuroinvasive West Nile Virus Infection

Neuroinvasive West Nile virus infection can cause a wide range of movement disorders, including tremor, dysarthria, and limb movements.

West Nile fever--a reemerging mosquito-borne viral disease in Europe.

West Nile fever is a mosquito-borne virus that causes human and equine diseases in Europe, with environmental factors like heavy rains, flooding, and irrigation increasing vector mosquito populations.

Chorioretinal lesions in nonfatal cases of West Nile virus infection.

Two patients with West Nile virus disease developed chorioretinal lesions and iridocyclitis, suggesting that the virus can cause neurologic complications in nonfatal cases.

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