Lisa Whelchel West Nile, best known for her role as Blair on the 1980's sitcom "Facts of Life", announced on Twitter yesterday afternoon that she has West Nile. Her physician confirmed the diagnosis with blood tests. She reports that she is fine, just very tired.
Whelchel is a contestant on this year's Survivor reality show. The show just wrapped up taping in the Philippines. It is unclear if the former child star caught the illness overseas or at her home in a Dallas suburb. Dallas has been the center of this year's near record outbreak of the mosquito borne illness.
The Centers for Disease Control website states that through November 6 they have received reports of 5,054 cases of West Nile virus (WNV) disease. There have been 228 WNV related deaths. About 80 percent of those infected have no symptoms, according to the CDC, while 20 percent have mild, flu-like symptoms.
A very small number of patients, 1 in 150, suffers a serious infection, some form of neuroinvasive disease such as meningitis or encephalitis. These patients can suffer permanent neurological injury or death.From her tweets, it seems that Whelchel is among the 20 percent with "West Nile fever". There are no cures for illnesses caused by a virus, such as West Nile. Treatment consists of supportive care and medication to relieve symptoms.
The cold weather in much of the United States has sent the mosquitoes that transmit the West Nile virus into hibernation. In those parts of the country that do not receive a killing frost, the risk of illness will continue. The CDC suggests the use of mosquito repellent, removal of standing water where mosquitoes can breed and the use of screens on doors and windows.
Whelchel is a contestant on this year's Survivor reality show. The show just wrapped up taping in the Philippines. It is unclear if the former child star caught the illness overseas or at her home in a Dallas suburb. Dallas has been the center of this year's near record outbreak of the mosquito borne illness.
The Centers for Disease Control website states that through November 6 they have received reports of 5,054 cases of West Nile virus (WNV) disease. There have been 228 WNV related deaths. About 80 percent of those infected have no symptoms, according to the CDC, while 20 percent have mild, flu-like symptoms.
A very small number of patients, 1 in 150, suffers a serious infection, some form of neuroinvasive disease such as meningitis or encephalitis. These patients can suffer permanent neurological injury or death.From her tweets, it seems that Whelchel is among the 20 percent with "West Nile fever". There are no cures for illnesses caused by a virus, such as West Nile. Treatment consists of supportive care and medication to relieve symptoms.
The cold weather in much of the United States has sent the mosquitoes that transmit the West Nile virus into hibernation. In those parts of the country that do not receive a killing frost, the risk of illness will continue. The CDC suggests the use of mosquito repellent, removal of standing water where mosquitoes can breed and the use of screens on doors and windows.
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