Question

1- Immune reaction – standard innate as well as specific humoral response appropriate to the pathogen of West Nile Virus

2-Epidemiology – where is it common, among whom, risk factors, vectors and reservoirs

3- Treatment – common resistances and alternative treatments – mechanism of action

Answer 1

1) Innate immunity: The innate immunity against the WNV virus includes the physical barriers like thick skin which prevent the insect bite and transfer of virus. Which is non specific and takes time for the immune response. In WNV infection innate immunity is not accurate against the infection.

Humoral specific response plays a major role in WNV infection, complement activation pathways to the protection from WNV disease activation pathways function together to limit WNV spread. The complement system is a family of more than 30 proteins and cell surface receptors that recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns, altered-self ligands, or immune complexes. Complement activation through the classical, lectin, and alternative pathways induces several protective functions including direct pathogen opsonization and/or lysis, and enhancement of B and T responses

2) West Nile virus causes West Nile fever commonly originated in African part of Nile River and slowly moved to New York and proliferated to the entire west. Mosquito’s serves as the carrier of the virus. When mosquito bites and birds the infected birds acts a reservoir of the virus and multiplies eventually in the host bird. The infected birds transfer the virus to other mosquitoes when they have and mosquito bite. While the human and horses don’t acts as reservoirs as the virus don’t multiply such rapidly as in birds.

   Birds act as vectors and reservoirs of the virus. While mosquito’s acts as the vector of the virus .

   Virus is most commonly spread during the summer, especially between June and September. The older people of above 60 are the more likely you are to face harsher symptoms.

Medical conditions that increase your risk of severe symptoms include:

• kidney conditions
• diabetes
• hypertension
• cancer
• impaired immune system

3)

Treatment:

Because it’s a viral condition, West Nile virus doesn’t have a cure. But you can take over-the-counter pain relievers, such as ibuprofen or aspirin, to relieve symptoms of West Nile virus such as muscle aches and headaches.

If you experience brain swelling or other severe symptoms, your doctor may give you intravenous fluids and medications to lower the risk of infections.

Research is currently being done on interferon therapy for West Nile virus. Interferon therapy is aimed at using substances produced by your immune system to treat encephalitis in people infected by West Nile virus. The research isn’t conclusive about the use of these therapies for encephalitis, but studies are promising.

Other potential treatments being researched for West Nile-related encephalitis include:

• polyclonal immunoglobulin intravenous (IGIV)
• WNV recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody (MGAWN1)
• corticosteroids

Prevention of mosquito bites and mosquito population can also reduce the risk of infection use of mosquito repellants, will help in control of mosquito population.