The Santa Catarina State Health Department confirmed on Monday (24) the first death from West Nile fever ever recorded in the state, in southern Brazil. The victim was a 77-year-old woman who died on August 8 in Imbituba, on the state's southern coast, according to G1 and local outlet NSC Total.
According to the department, death from the disease is considered rare. In addition to the elderly woman, a 56-year-old man from Caçador, in the state's west, was also diagnosed with the infection but has already been discharged from hospital. Both patients developed neurological symptoms, and the cases remain under epidemiological investigation to map the likely sites of infection and clarify the link between virus circulation and the recorded symptoms.
West Nile fever is an acute febrile illness caused by a virus transmitted mainly through the bite of mosquitoes of the Culex genus, the common house mosquito. According to Brazil's Health Ministry, wild birds are the virus's natural hosts, and there is no person-to-person transmission, nor direct transmission from birds to humans. Horses and primates can also be infected.
Symptoms and treatment
Most infections show no symptoms. About 20% of infected people develop signs, usually mild, such as sudden-onset fever, headache, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting and red skin rashes, according to the Health Ministry. One in every 150 infected people develops severe neurological disease, such as meningitis, encephalitis or acute flaccid paralysis.
There is no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for the disease. Care is limited to supportive measures, with rest and fluid replacement; severe cases require intensive care. Diagnosis can be made through a blood test, which should be done as early as possible, the state health department said.
The department advises anyone with fever accompanied by neurological symptoms, such as mental confusion, altered consciousness or weakness, to seek medical care and tell health professionals about possible exposure to mosquitoes. According to NSC Total, the department plans to step up epidemiological, laboratory, animal and entomological surveillance across the state. As prevention, the Health Ministry recommends using repellent, fitting screens on doors and windows and eliminating standing water.