SPRINGFIELD, IL – Dr. John R. Lumpkin, state public health director, today announced confirmation of the state's first human case of West Nile disease.

A 22-year-old student from Maryland became ill July 26 and returned home where today tests by the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene confirmed she was positive for West Nile fever. She reported only minor symptoms – fever, achy muscles and a slight rash – was never hospitalized and has recovered. During her eight-week stay in Illinois, she lived in Cook County and worked in DuPage County.

"This case is not unexpected and the public should continue to follow the advice public health officials have provided the past three months," Dr. Lumpkin said. "People need to avoid mosquito bites whenever possible by using insect repellent and wearing clothes that cover exposed skin, eliminating mosquito breeding areas around their property and by staying indoors at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes normally bite."

A total of 175 birds, 105 mosquito batches and three horses in 46 Illinois counties, including three reported for the first time today – Ford (crow), Effingham (mosquito batch) and Shelby (mosquito batch), have tested positive this year for West Nile virus since surveillance for the mosquito-transmitted virus began May 1.

A complete listing of the positive birds and mosquito batches identified so far in Illinois, by county, is available on the Department's Web site at < www.idph.state.il.us >. Go to the West Nile virus page and select "2002" under surveillance.

The Culex or house mosquito, which can carry West Nile virus or St. Louis encephalitis, breeds in warm, stagnant water and begins to increase in numbers early in the summer. Recent warm temperatures have been ideal for the rapid development and activity of the Culex mosquito and, as a result, a jump in the number of positive birds and mosquitoes.

Hospitals and infectious disease physicians have been notified of the increase in detection of birds with West Nile virus and reminded to order tests for arbovirus infections for patients with appropriate symptoms.

Dr. Lumpkin said identification of positive birds, mosquitoes and horses are reminders that the virus is present throughout the state and the following precautions should be taken to reduce the risk of any mosquito-borne disease:

• Stay indoors at dawn, dusk and early evening. If outdoors at these times, wear shoes and socks, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt. Loose-fitting, light colored clothing is best.
• Use mosquito repellent containing 25 percent to 35 percent DEET when it is necessary to be outdoors, applied sparingly to exposed skin or clothing, as indicated on the repellent label. Consult a physician before using repellents on young children.
• Check for and repair any tears in residential screens, including porches and patios.
• Eliminate stagnant water in bird baths, ponds, flower pots, wading pools, old tires and any other receptacles in which mosquitoes might breed.

In 2002, West Nile virus activity has been detected in at least 34 states, including Illinois, and Washington, D.C., in the United States and three Canadian provinces. In addition to Illinois, human cases of West Nile encephalitis have been confirmed this year in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.

Most people infected with West Nile virus have no symptoms of illness, but some may become ill, three to 15 days after the bite of an infected mosquito. Infections can be mild and include fever, headache and body aches, or severe and marked by headache, high fever, neck stiffness, stupor, convulsions, muscle weakness, paralysis and, rarely, death. All residents in areas with West Nile virus activity are at risk of getting West Nile encephalitis; those at the highest risk are persons 50 years of age or older.

West Nile virus was first confirmed in Illinois in September 2001 when two dead crows from the Chicago metropolitan area tested positive for the virus.

2002 West Nile virus surveillance information can be found on the Department's Web site at www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/wnvsurveillance_data_02.htm.