Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

Yet another mosquito-borne threat: The 'Jamestown Canyon virus'

You've probably heard of West Nile virus, but mosquitoes spread various other illnesses, too, including the little-known Jamestown Canyon virus (JCV), which is garnering attention across the United States.

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

Almost 3,000 cases of West Nile virus reported in U.S. in 2021

In 2021, there were 3,035 reports of arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) in the United States, including 2,911 caused by West Nile virus, according to research published in the August 25 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease ...

Health

Mosquitoes: Fact and fiction when it comes to bite prevention

No one likes mosquitoes. Their bites can cause uncomfortable and sometimes painful reactions and put a damper on even the best summer soiree. They can also carry diseases and viruses such as Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), ...

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

West Nile virus: What you need to know

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have confirmed reports of West Nile virus in 10 states. The bite of an infected mosquito most commonly spreads the virus.

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West Nile virus (WNV) is a virus of the family Flaviviridae. Part of the Japanese encephalitis (JE) antigenic complex of viruses, it is found in both tropical and temperate regions. It mainly infects birds, but is known to infect humans, horses, dogs, cats, bats, chipmunks, skunks, squirrels, domestic rabbits, crows, robins, crocodiles and alligators. The main route of human infection is through the bite of an infected mosquito. Approximately 90% of West Nile Virus infections in humans are without any symptoms.

Image reconstructions and cryoelectron microscopy reveal a 45–50 nm virion covered with a relatively smooth protein surface. This structure is similar to the dengue fever virus; both belong to the genus Flavivirus within the family Flaviviridae. The genetic material of WNV is a positive-sense, single strand of RNA, which is between 11,000 and 12,000 nucleotides long; these genes encode seven non-structural proteins and three structural proteins. The RNA strand is held within a nucleocapsid formed from 12 kDa protein blocks; the capsid is contained within a host-derived membrane altered by two viral glycoproteins.

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