West+Nile+Virus-Dylan+and+Taniera

__**History/ Background Information:**__
The virus was first isolated in the west Nile District of Uganda in 1937, which is the reason it is now known as the west Nile virus. The virus is recognized as a cause of severe human damage to the spinal cord and brain since an outbreak in Israel in 1957. The disease was first noted in Egypt and France in early 1960s and first appeared in North America in 1999. There were traces of West Nile Virus (WNV) found in humans and horses. The virus has been found in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, West and Central Asia, Oceania, and North America. There’s a 20% risk that people who become infected will develop West Nile fever and the other 80% will have no illness at all. 1 in 150 people infected with the West Nile Virus will end up with severe disease such as West Nile encephalitis, or West Nile poliomyelitis.

__**Symptoms in humans infected with the virus:**__
As previously stated, there's only a 20% chance that humans will have any illnesses at all. Symptoms for the West Nile Fever are listed below.

__West Nile Fever Symptoms:__
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 * Fever
 * Headache
 * Tiredness
 * Body aches
 * Occasionally a skin rash



__**Severe disease****'s Symptoms:** __
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 * Headache
 * High fever
 * Neck stiffness
 * Stupor
 * Disorientation
 * Coma
 * Tremors
 * Convulsions
 * Muscle weakness
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Paralysis.

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[[image:WnvCycle.gif width="454" height="329"]]
The process in which the virus is transmitted is shown above. Infected mosquitoes transmit the virus to birds, which get ill or die, while they can infect others that will not show signs of the disease. The string in which they transmit would be weaker then the one they were infected with. The same thing happens with mosquitoes they bite an infected bird and the virus is transmitted to them. Then you have the "Dead-end" carries, humans, mosquitoes bite humans which either cause them to get ill, slightly ill and rarely majorly ill. Mammals can also be infected but they do not get ill. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">

__**Details about virus structure/composition. What kind of nucleic acids does it have? What is its coat/shell made of? What surface proteins does it have?**__
Nucleic Acid testing is used for detecting West Nile Virus. This Virus if formed from 3 protein types. After the WNV assembles in a host cell, the protein molecules fit together into a symmetrical particle. Having this knowledge scientists can find a way to disrupt the viral assembly process. The protein shell of the virus (capsid) Not only protects, but contains the nucleic acids. An experiment vaccine which is DNA plasmid contain two key surface proteins of the WNV. The proteins of the WNV allows the virus to invade the host cell. When the matured West Nile Virus particles appear, it’s the surface proteins that react with each others cells’ surface so the invasion can commence.

==**__Details about infection. Which human cells does it infect? How does infection occur? Once the virus injects its DNA/RNA into the cell, what happens? What host cell organelles are involved? What host cell enzymes are involved?__**==

When examining mice’s brains, scientists discovered that the WNV attacked the neurons, but were confused as to why. Scientists studied the embryonic stem cells. Scientist found that though the stem cells were resistant to West Nile infection, the neurons weren’t and were easily infected. Viral enzymes are directly involved in virus replication. The replication derives from the all kinds of organelles within the host cell.

**__How does the human body fight the virus?__**
Infected Mosquito’s often carry the virus so when bit, one the virus can be transmitted. These mosquitos become infected when the eat birds that have been infected. In few cases, WNV had been carried through blood transfusion organ transplants, breastfeeding and even during pregnancy from mother to offspring. The virus attacks HBMVE cells in the human body. Scientists states that infection of HBMVE cells can make an easy entry of cell-free virus and contributing to the disperse of WNV.

__**How is this virus treated by medical professionals? Do we have a vaccination/immunization against this virus? How can infection be prevented?**__
The capsid proteins in your body form a shell around the viral RNA. The non capsid proteins are the other proteins that the virus makes which are not part of the shell structure. There isn’t any cure for WNV. You must trust your immune system to fight the virus off. The virus cannot be treated with vaccine yet, but there are some experiments taking place on mice.

As the availability of robins lessened, the probability that they were fed upon by mosquito’s lessened. Humans became a blood meal for mosquito’s. “Study also suggests that the genetic mutations that create such adaptive changes may result in viral strains that have unexpected symptoms and patterns of transmission” says UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

=__**Source;**__=

[|CDC West Nile Virus Page]