West Nile virus effected in INDIA

West Nile virus

West Nile virus (WNV) is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the continental United States.  It is most commonly spread to people by the bite of an infected mosquito. Cases of WNV occur during mosquito season, which starts in the summer and continues through fall. There are no vaccines to prevent or medications to treat WNV in people. Fortunately, most people infected with WNV do not feel sick. About 1 in 5 people who are infected develop a fever and other symptoms. About 1 out of 150 infected people develop a serious, sometimes fatal, illness. You can reduce your risk of WNV by using insect repellent and wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants to prevent mosquito bites.

(unranked):	Virus
Realm:	Riboviria
(unranked):	incertae sedis
Family:	Flaviviridae
Genus:	Flavivirus
Species:	West Nile virus

Transmission

Transmission Cycle

West Nile Virus Transmission Cycle Cdc-pdf

West Nile virus is most commonly spread to people by the bite of an infected mosquito.

Mosquitoes become infected when they feed on infected birds. Infected mosquitoes then spread West Nile virus to people and other animals by biting them.

In a very small number of cases, West Nile virus has been spread through:

• Exposure in a laboratory setting
• Blood transfusion and organ donation
• Mother to baby, during pregnancy, delivery, or breastfeeding

West Nile virus is not spread:

• Through coughing, sneezing, or touching
• By touching live animals
• From handling live or dead infected birds. Avoid bare-handed contact when handling any dead animal. If you are disposing of a dead bird, use gloves or double plastic bags to place the carcass in a garbage can.
• Through eating infected birds or animals. Always follow instructions for fully cooking meat from either birds or mammals.

Prevention

Español (Spanish)

The most effective way to prevent infection from ­­­West Nile virus is to prevent mosquito bites. Mosquitoes bite during the day and night. Use insect repellent, wear long-sleeved shirts and pants, treat clothing and gear, and take steps to control mosquitoes indoors and outdoors.

Protect yourself and your family from mosquito bites

Use Insect Repellent

Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellentsExternal with one of the active ingredients below. When used as directed, EPA-registered insect repellents are proven safe and effective, even for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

• DEET
• Picaridin (known as KBR 3023 and icaridin outside the US)
• IR3535
• Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE)
• Para-menthane-diol (PMD)
• 2-undecanone

Find the right insect repellent for you by using EPA’s search toolExternal.

Tips for babies and children

• Always follow instructions when applying insect repellent to children.
• Do not use insect repellent on babies younger than 2 months old.
  • Instead, dress your child in clothing that covers arms and legs.
  • Cover strollers and baby carriers with mosquito netting.
• Do not use products containing oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or para-menthane-diol (PMD) on children under 3 years old.
• Do not apply insect repellent to a child’s hands, eyes, mouth, cuts, or irritated skin.
  • Adults: Spray insect repellent onto your hands and then apply to a child’s face.

Tips for Everyone

• Always follow the product label instructions.
• Reapply insect repellent as directed.
  • Do not spray repellent on the skin under clothing.
  • If you are also using sunscreen, apply sunscreen first and insect repellent second.

Natural insect repellents (repellents not registered with EPA)

• We do not know the effectiveness of non-EPA registered insect repellents, including some natural repellents.
• To protect yourself against diseases spread by mosquitoes, CDC and EPA recommend using an EPA-registered insect repellent.
• Choosing an EPA-registered repellent ensures the EPA has evaluated the product for effectiveness.
• Visit the EPA website to learn more.External

Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants

Treat clothing and gear

• Use permethrin to treat clothing and gear (such as boots, pants, socks, and tents) or buy permethrin-treated clothing and gear.
  • Permethrin is an insecticide that kills or repels mosquitoes.
  • Permethrin-treated clothing provides protection after multiple washings.
  • Read product information to find out how long the protection will last.
  If treating items yourself, follow the product instructions.
• Do not use permethrin products directly on skin.

Take steps to control mosquitoes indoors and outdoors

• Use screens on windows and doors. Repair holes in screens to keep mosquitoes outdoors.
• Use air conditioning, if available.
• Stop mosquitoes from laying eggs in or near water.
  • Once a week, empty and scrub, turn over, cover, or throw out items that hold water, such as tires, buckets, planters, toys, pools, birdbaths, flowerpots, or trash containers.
  • Check indoors and outdoors.

Prevent mosquito bites when traveling overseas

• Choose a hotel or lodging with air conditioning or screens on windows and doors.
• Sleep under a mosquito bed net if you are outside or in a room that does not have screens.
  • Buy a bed net at your local outdoor store or online before traveling overseas.
  • Choose a WHOPES-approved bed net: compact, white, rectangular, with 156 holes per square inch, and long enough to tuck under the mattress.
  • Permethrin-treated bed nets provide more protection than untreated nets.
    • Do not wash bed nets or expose them to sunlight. This will break down the insecticide more quickly.
  • For more information on bed nets, visit CDC’s page on insecticide-treated bed nets.
  • For more information on traveling overseas, visit Travelers’ Health.