Clark Michael B., Schaefer Timothy J.
Baylor Scott & White - Texas A&M
West Nile virus is an enveloped, single-stranded RNA virus and member of the family. It is an arbovirus transmitted to humans by the bite of a mosquito. It is known to cause disease in humans with a wide array of presentations. These range from the asymptomatic infected patient to fever and malaise to florid neurological deficits secondary to encephalitis. However, most people infected with West Nile virus are asymptomatic. Approximately 1 in 4 patients experience fever with symptoms of a viral syndrome, while around 1 in 200 develops neuroinvasive disease. Originally seen in Africa, West Nile virus began showing up throughout Europe, Asia, and North America in the 1990s. It is now present throughout much of the world.
西尼罗河病毒是一种有包膜的单链RNA病毒，属于该病毒家族的成员。它是一种虫媒病毒，通过蚊子叮咬传播给人类。已知它会在人类中引发多种症状的疾病。这些症状范围从无症状感染患者到发热、不适，再到继发于脑炎的明显神经功能缺损。然而，大多数感染西尼罗河病毒的人是无症状的。大约四分之一的患者会出现伴有病毒综合征症状的发热，而每200人中约有1人会发展为神经侵袭性疾病。西尼罗河病毒最初在非洲发现，20世纪90年代开始在欧洲、亚洲和北美洲出现。现在它在世界大部分地区都有存在。
