According to the most recent CDC reports, in 2006, 4,269 cases in the United States have been reported by the CDC with 177 fatalities. Click here for the latest CDC West Nile Virus statistics. Of these cases, 61% of them were reported as West Nile fever, a milder form of the disease; 34% were reported as West Nile meningitis or encephalitis. Exposure to West Nile Virus through a mosquito bite is the principal means of becoming infected.
CDC continues to urge people to take steps to protect themselves from being bitten by mosquitoes. These steps include eliminating standing water from around the home where mosquitoes are likely to breed, wearing long sleeves and pants as well as socks when going outdoors when mosquitoes are most active, and applying insect repellents that contain DEET. For more information, see the HOOAH4Health West Nile Virus FAQ page.
2007 West Nile Virus Activity in the United States (shown in orange):
(Reported to CDC as of April 1, 2008)
Introduction: West Nile (WN) virus has emerged in recent years in temperate regions of Europe and North America, presenting a threat to public, equine, and animal health. The most serious manifestation of WN virus infection is fatal encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) in humans and horses, as well as mortality in certain domestic and wild birds.
History: West Nile virus was first isolated from a febrile adult woman in the West Nile District of Uganda in 1937. The ecology was characterized in Egypt in the 1950s. The virus became recognized as a cause of severe human meningoencephalitis (inflammation of the spinal cord and brain) in elderly patients during an outbreak in Israel in 1957. Equine disease was first noted in Egypt and France in the early 1960s. The first appearance of WNV in North America in 1999, with encephalitis reported in humans and horses, and the subsequent spread in the United States may be an important milestone in the evolving history of this virus.
Use this pull-down menu box to learn answers to frequently asked questions about West Nile Virus.
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Geographic Distribution: West Nile virus has been described in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, west and central Asia, Oceania (subtype Kunjin), and most recently, North America. Recent outbreaks of WNV encephalitis in humans have occurred in Algeria in 1994, Romania in 1996-1997, the Czech Republic in 1997, the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1998, Russia in 1999, the United States in 1999-2001, and Israel in 2000. Epizootics of disease in horses occurred in Morocco in 1996, Italy in 1998, the United States in 1999-2001, and France in 2000. Through the end of 2002, WNV had been documented in 44 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.
Also, see:
West Nile Virus Guidelines for Clinicians
According to the most recent CDC reports, in 2006, 4,269 cases in the United States have been reported by the CDC with 177 fatalities. 
