Mesa Man Becomes State's First West Nile Victim of Year

Kerry Fehr-Snyder

The Arizona Republic Jun. 30, 2005 

Although it's later and milder than last summer, the West Nile virus has found its first Arizona victim this year in a Valley resident. A Mesa man in his 50s contracted the mosquito-borne disease, state and Maricopa County health officials confirmed Wednesday. The resident, who was not identified by name, developed West Nile fever, the mildest form of the disease. "He did not become seriously ill (with encephalitis or meningitis), and he did recover," said Dr. Doug Campos-Outcalt, interim chief health officer for the Maricopa County Department of Public Health.

Mosquitoes carrying the disease were first detected this year near a Mesa fire station in March, prompting health officials to worry that the Valley could be in for a worse West Nile season than last year. But those fears have been unfounded so far since only a fraction of the birds, mosquitoes and horses have contracted the potentially fatal and debilitating disease this year compared to last year. Health officials are puzzled as to why the season has gotten a late start and hesitate to predict what the rest of the summer holds. "I wouldn't relax until Christmas," quipped John Townsend, vector-control manager for the Maricopa County Environmental Services Department.

Typically, bird viruses transmitted by mosquitoes tend to circulate more in August and September, Townsend said. Blame the monsoon rains, he added, which leave water puddles for mosquitoes to lay eggs that later fly off and bite people. But last year, West Nile got an early start and infected its first victims in May. Both residents developed brain-swelling encephalitis. Arizona became the nation's capital for the disease. More than 116 Arizonans became ill with the virus as of this time last year; 76 of them lived in Maricopa County. By the end of the year, lab results confirmed that nearly 400 residents had contracted the disease, and 16 of them had died. Because most people don't see a doctor, health officials estimated the actual number of people infected with the disease at about 40,000.

 This year has been a different story. Only 14 out of 1,200 mosquito samples have tested positive for the virus. Of the 100 dead birds turned in by citizens, none had been infected with the virus. Although the disease is here to stay, "at some point there will be immunity issues with the birds and with humans," Townsend said. Until then, health officials remind residents to eliminate standing water where mosquitoes breed, report green pools and wear mosquito repellent and long-sleeve shirts and pants during dawn and dusk to ward off mosquito bites. West Nile virus is "potentially a serious disease" in which victims "not only can die, they can be seriously impaired," said Joy Rich, assistant county manager.

Click here to see second case of West Nile Virus