Boulder Resident Hospitalized With West Nile Virus

BOULDER, CO — A Boulder resident has contracted the West Nile virus, health officials confirmed. The patient is the second person in the state to test positive for the virus this season.

The resident, who is in their 70s, reported extensive gardening in their backyard and multiple mosquito bites. The patient is hospitalized with meningitis, Boulder County Public Heath said.

The virus is transmitted to humans from the bite of an infected mosquito. While most infections are mild, the more serious infections can cause encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and/or meningitis (inflammation of the brain's lining), loss of vision, paralysis, coma, tremors, convulsions and death.

Symptoms of the West Nile virus include fever, extreme fatigue, headache and body aches. The virus can also include skin rashes and swollen lymph nodes. Generally, symptoms appear 3-14 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. Anyone who experiences the symptoms should consult their health care provider, health officials said.

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While everyone is at risk of being infected with West Nile virus, those over 50 or with weakened immune systems are at greater risk of developing serious illness. Anyone who experiences the symptoms should consult their health care provider, health officials said. There is no treatment, cure, or human vaccination for the virus, but health care providers can treat symptoms to help patients feel better and possibly recover more quickly.

In Colorado, most West Nile virus cases are diagnosed in August and September, but cases can be identified as early as May and as late as December, health officials said. Generally, the mosquito season extends from late April until mid-October, with the end usually signaled by the first freeze in the fall.

"This time of year is when we see the most people become ill from the disease,” said Heather Marshall, Boulder County Public Health epidemiologist. “We all need to continue to be diligent about protecting ourselves from mosquito bites.”

Multiple mosquitos in Boulder County have tested positive for the West Nile virus, health officials confirmed. The mosquitos were found in traps near Coal Creek Golf Course and Coal Creek Trail in Louisville, Original Town in Superior, and Isaak Walton Park and St. Vrain Greenway in Longmont, according to Boulder County Public Health.

The county has offered the following tips for protection against the virus:

1. Use DEET-enhanced insect repellent or alternatives, including Bite Blocker, Picaridin, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus or IR3535.
2. Dress in long sleeves and pants.
3. Avoid the outdoors from dusk until dawn.
4. Drain standing water outside your home.