The 74 -year -old from Messina is better hospitalized in the Papardo infectious diseases department for having contracted a West Nile infection.
The Albanian Dr., as head of the unit, has in fact spread a bulletin in which it is declared that the general conditions of the patient are in the improvement phase, however they still reserve for 48 hours to dissolve the prognosis. The patient, in preventive isolation since pending the completion of all microbiological examinations, is now in ordinary hospital stay in a vigilant state and with the absence of fever.
The lady arrived in the emergency room on 21 morning with apparently brain symptomatology, reporting fever and nucal rigidity already for 6 days preceding access. Taking charge by Dr. Calandra who, after visiting it, also asks Albanese’s advice to exclude or conclude an infectious disease pathology. In fact, the infectiousologist, following the serological examination and viral RNA research on blood, conclands the diagnosis of West Nile virus infection.
Following the diagnosis, all the procedures provided for by the ministerial directives on the subject were activated by the Medical Management and the Medical Management. The samples were sent to the Institute of Health for confirmation of the case. The same was communicated to the ASP and the Regional Health Department, also for the purposes of an epidemiological investigation.
How the contagion does
The West Nile is a virus that causes a disease called: the western Nile fever, transmitted to man through the sting of infected mosquitoes. To date there are no cases of interuman contagion, but only via the carrier.
Who is striking
Although the infection is often asymptomatic or manifest itself as a flu syndrome, in 1% of cases and in elderly people and/or affected by other pathologies, it can lead to serious complications.
Prevention
It is recommended to have repellents for mosquitoes, wear opaque clothes, use mosquito nets, avoid critical hours especially at dawn and sunset, when the mosquitoes are more active, eliminate the places of reproduction of mosquitoes and empty the stagnation of water such as the firm water of the saucers, bins, manholes and any other container that can collect water.