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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- The long-term prognosis of patients infected with West Nile virus is good, according to a new study.
Until now not much has been know about the eventual recovery from this virus, which is spread from the bite of infected mosquitoes. This is the first study to comprehensively look at a large population of infected persons to study the long-term effects of West Nile, study author Mark Loeb, MD, MSc, of the Michael G DeGroote School of Medicine at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada was quoted as saying. We found that both physical and mental functions, as well as mood and fatigue, seemed to return to normal in about one year.
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West Nile is a potentially serious central nervous system infection thats hard to diagnose because many people dont show symptoms. For the 20 percent who do, symptoms include mild, flu-like illness and neurological problems such as meingoencephalitis, encephalitis and acute flaccid paralysis. Some of the more troublesome symptoms like fatigue, cognitive dysfuntion and motor abnormalities can last for months.
The researchers say the data might help people infected West Nile virus and their doctors predict the expected rate of recovery.
SOURCE: Annals of Internal Medicine, August 19, 2008
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