(NEXSTAR) – Medical experts are advising people to take precautions to avoid the West Nile virus, which Dr. Anthony Fauci is still recovering from after an illness he said was worse than any other he had experienced.
Dr. Anthony Fauci was recently hospitalized after a case of West Nile virus left him with fever, chills and severe fatigue, according to a spokesperson.
The nation’s former top doctor, who is now recovering at home, told health news site STAT last weekend, “I’ve never been as sick in my life,” adding that the illness felt like he had been “hit by a truck.” He said he expects the recovery to take “weeks and weeks.”
West Nile virus is commonly spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. While most people don’t experience symptoms, about 1 in 5 can develop a fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea, or rash, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 1 out of 150 infected people develop a serious, sometimes fatal, illness. There have been 216 West Nile cases so far this year. West Nile virus was first reported in the U.S. in 1999 in New York. It gradually spread across the country. In 2003, there were nearly 10,000 cases.
“There’s specific mosquitoes that carry the West Nile virus,” said infectious disease specialist with the Cleveland Clinic Dr. Lyssette Cardona in an email. “Not every mosquito carries it, so getting bitten by a mosquito doesn’t mean you’re going to get West Nile virus, but the mosquitoes that have been infected through a bird exposure that has it, then they carry it in their belly and when they bite you, they can transmit it to humans.”
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“I think for West Nile and most mosquito-related illnesses, the best protection is prevent mosquito bites,” Cardona said. “If you’re going to travel, or if you’re around areas where there may be a lot of exposure to mosquito bites, just make sure you’re using the repellents that are safe for you, and or any specific netting and things like that if you’re camping.”
Local health departments also work to reduce mosquito numbers, including spraying neighborhoods with insecticide. Authorities in Massachusetts are using trucks and planes this week to spray vulnerable areas.
West Nile virus is the top cause of mosquito-borne illness in the continental United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
There is currently no vaccines to prevent West Nile in humans, nor any medicines to treat it.
Here’s a look at some other common — and not so common — mosquito-borne diseases.
Eastern equine encephalitis
Most people infected with eastern equine encephalitis don’t develop symptoms, but some can come down with fever or swelling of the brain and about one third of people infected die. There have been three cases of eastern equine encephalitis in the U.S. this year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one each in Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Vermont. The worst year for the disease was 2019, with 38 cases. It is caused by a virus and is not very common around the world. The virus typically spreads in certain swamps, including red maple and white cedar swamps in Massachusetts.
Malaria
Malaria infected nearly 250 million people globally in 2022 and killed more than 600,000, mostly children. It is caused by a parasite carried by mosquitoes and mainly infects people in tropical regions, especially Africa. A vaccination campaign has been launched in recent months that health officials hope will help reduce cases and deaths.
Dengue
Also known as “break-bone fever” because it can be so painful, dengue is becoming more common. The World Health Organization says that about half the world’s population is at risk of getting the disease, and there are 100 million to 400 million infections every year. Not everyone gets symptoms, which can include fever, severe headaches and pain in the muscles and joints. Most U.S. cases are in people who have traveled to other countries, though the CDC says there have been about 2,600 locally acquired cases so far this year.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.