West Nile virus is an enveloped, single-stranded RNA virus and member of the Flaviviridae family. It is an arbovirus transmitted to humans by the bite of a mosquito.
It is known to cause disease in humans with a wide array of presentations. These range from the asymptomatic infected patient to fever and malaise to florid neurological deficits secondary to encephalitis. However, most people infected with West Nile virus are asymptomatic. Approximately 1 in 4 patients experience fever with symptoms of a viral syndrome, while around 1 in 200 develops neuroinvasive disease.
Originally seen in Africa, West Nile virus began showing up throughout Europe, Asia, and North America in the 1990s. It is now present throughout much of the world.
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