What Is West Nile Fever And How Does It Affect Pregnancy?
West Nile Fever (WNF) is an infection transmitted through the bite of a mosquito and mainly generates an inflammation known as “encephalitis”.
The time of year when there is a greater risk of infection is summer. This is due to the fact that people spend more time outdoors and, on the other hand, the climate favors the survival of mosquitoes and insects in general. Therefore, it is necessary to be careful and take the necessary preventive measures to avoid contagion.
That said, West Nile Fever can affect the nervous system in such a way that it can cause death if medical attention is not received in time.
encephalitis, brain inflammation
This virus is classified as a newly -appearing disease that was recorded from 1937 in Africa, 1957 in Europe and 1999 in the USA.
The West Nile Fever virus begins to manifest itself through mild discomforts such as fever and headache. As these symptoms are so common, they go unnoticed and this makes it difficult to diagnose a major infectious process.
West Nile Fever Symptoms
However, from fever and headaches, if medical attention is not needed, these symptoms can escalate into a much more intense and obvious condition . Among the most common symptoms are:
- Fatigue.
- Headache.
- High fever.
- Rash.
- Conjunctivitis.
- Muscle weakness.
- Inflammation of tendons.
- Stiffness in neck muscles.
- Lack of coordination of members.
- In severe cases, the virus can cause strokes and damage neurons, which will consequently affect the body’s functions.
How does it affect pregnancy?
The latest research has shown that West Nile Fever virus can affect the mother during pregnancy. Therefore, the fetus will be affected and possibly will have or develop some (or several) diseases at birth.
According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 7% and 10% of babies born to infected mothers had severe birth defects. The most prominent conditions are cleft lip and Down syndrome.
The same study also indicates that complications and risks appear to depend on when a woman is infected with the virus, that is, during the first, second, or third trimester of pregnancy.
And while there is still a lot to discover, West Nile Fever virus is believed to be responsible for many cases of various malformations evidenced both prenatally and at the time of the baby’s birth.
Appearance of symptoms and care
Symptoms usually appear between 3 and 14 days after being bitten by a transmitting mosquito, which is the most common cause of infection.
Some medical procedures, such as transfusions or transplants, present minimal risk, and if you are breastfeeding your baby, the risk remains at its minimal scale.
In most cases, pregnant women will need supportive care, whereby intravenous fluids will be given, and blood tests will be performed to detect any changes that could affect the health of the mother and fetus.
How to prevent the spread of this virus?
Obviously, measures must be taken depending on the area where one resides. These include pest control, as comprehensive as possible, and also using natural repellents or antibiotics.
It is also important not to expose yourself at times or in areas more prone to the activity of these pests. Also, you must avoid standing water and if there is a dead animal on your property or in nearby areas, it must be buried or incinerated.
If you live in the countryside and have horses or donkeys, try not to frequent these areas, as they have been a common vector. In other words, when bitten by mosquitoes these animals become infected and this can, in turn, spread the infection to humans.
In case you are pregnant, you must exercise extreme caution. Unfortunately, there is little you can do when you have already been infected with West Nile Fever virus. Therefore, it is better to be cautious and take all available preventive measures.
