What is West Nile Virus?

West Nile Virus is an arbovirus carried by female mosquitoes. Arboviruses- also known as arthropod-borne viruses- are illnesses that are transmitted through arthropods, and in most cases, insects. West Nile Virus (WNV) was first discovered in 1937 in the West Nile District of Uganda, hence it's name. A woman feverish woman was being treated for research on Yellow Fever when doctors discovered the disease.

Over the years, spread through Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Southern Asia until making it's way to North American in 1999. The American outbreak was first detected in Queens, New York City. It is most likely that a bird infected with WNV travelled from another country to Queens, was bitten by a mosquito, and then that mosquito transmitted it's disease to a human.

Ever since the summer of 1999, WNV has been an issue in all states besides Hawaii and Alaska. About 40,000 reported cases and 1,700 deaths have occurred in the U.S. since WNV's discovery as well. Due to this, state governments across the U.S. have focused a lot of their efforts and budgets on dealing with the spread of WNV. Especially in Massachusetts, with it's alarming rate of the virus, it's important that communities pressure their local legislatures to make wise decisions concerning prevention and treatment. Right now, aerial spraying is the most common solution. Yet, isn't it time that the government focus less on a tactic that causes more harm in the environment, and on a solution such as a WNV vaccine instead? Spending thousands of tax-payers dollars on a non-permanent solution is not being proactive. If the government diverted some of that income towards medical research, WNV infections in humans could be eradicated for good.