This is the first time that an autochthonous case of infection by the virus of the western nest, or West Nile, has been recorded in the South-West of France. The disease is transmitted by mosquitoes.
- The Nouvelle Aquitaine Regional Health Agency has announced that a person has been infected with the West Nile virus in Gironde.
- This is the first time that a person has been infected in this territory, the virus is rather present on the Mediterranean rim in France.
- In 80% of cases, the infection is asymptomatic.
A person has been infected with the West Nile virus, or West-Nile, in Gironde. The Nouvelle-Aquitaine Regional Health Agency announced it in a communicated published on August 1. “Other cases are being investigated in Gironde, in conjunction with Public Health France (a total of 5 cases including the first report), says the agency. Their state of health does not inspire concern and they are on the way to recovery.“This is the first time that an autochthonous case, which means that the person was infected on the spot and not during a trip abroad, has been identified in this French region.So far, in France, human West-Nile virus infections have only been found around the Mediterranean (PACA and Occitanie regions)”notes the ARS of New Aquitaine.
What is West Nile virus?
The Nile was first identified in 1937, in the West Nile area of Uganda. It has caused epidemics in Africa, West Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Virus infection is caused by the Culex mosquito, the most common species in France. “Mosquitoes become infected by feeding on infected birdsprecise Public Health France. The mosquito thus infected may, on the occasion of another bite, transmit the virus to another bird or to an accidental host such as man or horse. On the other hand, the virus is not transmitted from man to mosquito, nor from man to man. “An extremely low risk of transmission may exist through blood and organ donations.”specifies the ARS Nouvelle Aquitaine.
West Nile virus: an often asymptomatic disease
For 80% of those infected, the disease causes few or no symptoms. But the virus can cause major complications such as neurological damage: meningitis, encephalitis, meningoencephalitis. “These neuroinvasive forms are more common in the elderly and can cause sequelae and even be fatal in humans., explains Public Health France. They concern less than one infected person in 100. In two out of ten people, the pathology is manifested by a flu-like syndrome: fever, headaches, joint pain and sometimes by a rash.
There is no treatment to cure the infection as such, but management consists of acting on the symptoms of the disease. For the most serious cases, a visit to the intensive care unit may be necessary.
How to protect yourself from West Nile virus?
The best way to avoid infection is to protect yourself from mosquito bites. “In the event of circulation of the West Nile virus, individual protection measures are of major importance in reducing the risk of transmission of the virus, in the absence of means to completely eradicate this risk.warns the Ministry of Health. Mosquitoes bite mainly at sunset and during the night: at these times of the day, you must wear covering and loose clothing and use a repellent on uncovered areas. The ARS Nouvelle Aquitaine recommends using fans to disturb mosquitoes or electric diffusers, outside, insecticide coils can keep them away. To limit the proliferation of these insects, it is important not to leave stagnant water around your home, as it promotes the appearance of larvae.
In 2018, 25 cases of indigenous human infection with the West Nile virus were identified around the French Mediterranean, indicates the Ministry of Health.