MOBILE, Ala. -- A human case of West Nile virus in Mobile and two probable cases have been detected in the area, according to Dr. Bernard Eichold, Mobile County health officer.
Eichold was notified of laboratory results today indicating one confirmed case of human West Nile virus (WNV) and two probable cases. These are the first human cases reported in Mobile County this year, according to the health department. The confirmed case is in the 36606 ZIP code area of Mobile. The two probable cases are in ZIP code areas 36606 and 36693.
People should assume that there are mosquitoes in their communities, Eichold said, and that they may carry infectious diseases such as West Nile or other forms of mosquito-borne encephalitis such as Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) and St. Louis encephalitis (SLE).
Recent rainfall associated with tropical weather may well have led to an increase in mosquito populations throughout the county, Eichold said, adding that the risk of encephalitis spread by mosquitoes is highest from August through the first freeze in the fall.
People who contract the diseases often have symptoms of high fever, severe headache, nausea, stiff neck, confusion, muscle weakness, paralysis, disorientation, and seizures that are severe enough to require medical attention. In rare cases, WNV, SLE and EEE can cause coma or death. The seriousness of an illness may depend on a person's health and age. West Nile virus affects the elderly most severely, and EEE affects the young and elderly most severely, according to Eichold.