Is West Nile fever Contagious?

Contagion summary:

Mosquitoes become infected when they feed on infected birds, which may circulate the virus in their blood for a few days. Infected mosquitoes can then transmit West Nile virus to humans and animals while biting to take blood. (Source: excerpt from Microbes in Sickness and in Health - Publications, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases: NIAID)

The first step in the transmission cycle of West Nile virus occurs when a mosquito bites an infected bird. Although the virus primarily cycles between mosquitoes and birds, infected female mosquitoes can transmit West Nile virus to incidental hosts, including humans, when taking a blood meal. (Source: excerpt from NIAID Research on West Nile and Related Viruses, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID)

West Nile encephalitis is NOT transmitted from person-to-person. For example, you cannot get West Nile virus from touching or kissing a person who has the disease, or from a health care worker who has treated someone with the disease. (Source: excerpt from West Nile Virus Questions and Answers: DVBID)

Discussion about Contagion of West Nile fever:

Mosquitoes become infected when they feed on infected birds, which may circulate the virus in their blood for a few days. Infected mosquitoes can then transmit West Nile virus to humans and animals while biting to take blood. The virus is located in the mosquito's salivary glands. During blood feeding, the virus may be injected into the animal or human, where it may multiply, possibly causing illness. (Source: excerpt from West Nile Virus Questions and Answers: DVBID)

About contagion and contagiousness:

Contagion and contagiousness refers to how easily the spread of West Nile fever is possible from one person to another. Other words for contagion include "infection", "infectiousness", "transmission" or "transmissability". Contagiousness has nothing to do with genetics or inheriting diseases from parents. For an overview of contagion, see Introduction to Contagion.

 » Next page: Treatments for West Nile fever

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