02-04 West Nile - John Bulloch

The West Nile virus is another one of those mosquito-borne diseases, and part of the same virus family as Dengue, Zika and Yellow Fever. It is being spread about the globe as our weather warms. It hits horses too. But they have a horse vaccine. A human version is on its way.

The West Nile virus was first discovered in the West Nile Region of Uganda. And up to the 1990s it was a disease that was found only in Africa. According to research, mosquitoes picked up the virus when they sucked the blood of infected birds.
The virus is of the same family of mosquito-borne viruses that include Dengue, Zika and Yellow Fever.
What is so interesting is that this virus is very prevalent in the United States and is hitting horses as much as humans.
The great puzzle is how quickly it is spreading as our climate warms. We are not only getting more puddles, more warmth and more humidity that supports mosquito breeding. But winds that are sending the mosquitoes across surprising distances.
As of 2021, most of the states in the US are reporting West Nile infections. And how about all of those cases that are not reported. The symptoms are flu like and only fatal in a small number of cases. Although 14 people died of the disease in New York city in 1914.
West Nile virus in horses is more serious. With infected horses there is a 20% risk of encephalitis, which can be fatal. And believe it or not, there is a vaccine for horses.
The medical and science communities of the world are all anticipating an increase in what are called tropical diseases as the climate warms. It is mostly about the spread of vectors that carry the disease like the different breeds of mosquitos and ticks.
West Nile virus is one of the fastest moving diseases because of the impact of climate change on the exploding mosquito population.