The West Nile Virus outbreak of 1999 in New York: The flushing hospital experience

  • Deborah S. Asnis
  • , Rick Conetta
  • , Alex A. Teixeira
  • , Glenn Waldman
  • , Barbara A. Sampson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

309 Scopus citations

Abstract

West Nile Virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus, which has been known to cause human infection in Africa, the Middle East, and southwestern Asia. It has also been isolated in Australia and sporadically in Europe but never in the Americas. Clinical features include acute fever, severe myalgias, headache, conjunctivitis, lymphadenopathy, and a roseolar rash. Rarely is encephalitis or meningitis seen. During the month of August 1999, a cluster of 5 patients with fever, confusion, and weakness were admitted to the intensive care unit of the same hospital in New York City. Ultimately 4 of the 5 developed flaccid paralysis and required ventilatory support. Three patients with less-severe cases presented shortly thereafter. With the assistance of the New York City and New York State health departments and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, these were documented as the first cases of WNV infection on this continent.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)413-418
Number of pages6
JournalClinical Infectious Diseases
Volume30
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 2000
Externally publishedYes

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