West Nile Virus.
West Nile Virus (WNV), a mosquito transmitted disease, made its first appearance in North America in 1999 and quickly spread westward. It arrived in Kansas in 2002, re-emerged in 2003, and is expected again in 2004. The natural cycle is from infected bird to mosquito, with humans and horses as accidental (dead-end) hosts. WNV is usually asymptomatic in humans, but can cause a wide spectrum of disease. There is currently no human vaccine and treatment is symptomatic only. A best preventive measure combines personal protection to prevent mosquito bites with reducing the number of mosquitoes.
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