Are You At Risk Of Getting West Nile Virus?

By Author: Allen Weber
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Like an annual Methuselah, the West Nile Virus is again rearing its ugly head. It is transmitted by mosquitos. Hungry Mosquitos, hoards of them just waiting for that unsuspecting person or animal that is anywhere near their path around dusk or dawn.

According to the Center for Disease Control West Nile Virus has been plaguing Africa (where it was first ?Discovered? in Uganda in 1937). It has been reported in the Middle East; west and central Asia; Oceania; Europe, and starting in 1999 North America. It has been reported in virtually every state throughout the East Coast and Mid-Western United States. Soon it will also hit the West Coast. It is a threat to public, equine, and animal health. The most serious risk in humans and horses when infected is fatal encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). Death also happens to infected domestic and wild birds.

If you live in an area where they have discovered West Nile Virus activity, you are at risk of getting West Nile encephalitis; persons older than 50 years have the highest risk of severe disease.

West Nile Virus is spread exclusively thru bites by ...
... mosquitos, though some ticks have been discovered carrying West Nile Virus in their blood. However, now it is not believed that ticks pose any risk of infection.

So How do you avoid getting West Nile Virus?
The obvious answer is to avoid getting bitten by a mosquito. You can curtail all outdoor activity around dawn and dusk. No more jogging in the park, barbequing dinner, late evening softball, etc. So you can hide inside and become a shut in out of fear. You can coat yourself with chemical insect repellants, or you can look for natural methods.

Most methods of avoiding mosquito bites are using hazardous, noxious and harsh chemicals. Still, there is an all natural inexpensive way to ward off mosquitos and avoid getting bitten. In researching my ebook, ?Vinegar Magic? http://www.vinegarmagic.com one of the many uses of vinegar I heard of was using apple cider vinegar to stop mosquitos from attacking. I didn?t believe it, so I tried it on myself. Every day for a week I drank two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in 8 ounces of water. Let me tell you, I noticed a difference. I can be outside barbequing at dusk. I?ll see a mosquito making a bee line at me. It gets close and then suddenly, as if by magic it makes a U-turn and flies away. It?s like I have a magic protective shield around me.

Most municipalities will begin fogging areas for mosquitos with chemical pesticides once they have discovered West Nile virus. That usually means at least one person has been bitten. The incubation period in humans meaning the time from infection to when you see disease symptoms for West Nile encephalitis usually runs three to 15 days. Why run the risk of waiting to become a victim?

Symptoms of West Nile Virus
Most infections are mild, and symptoms include fever, headache, and body aches, occasionally with skin rash and swollen lymph glands. More severe infection may be marked by headache, high fever, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, paralysis, and, rarely, death.

Better to not take the risk and drink apple cider vinegar. While the prospect of drinking two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar may sound like a disgusting horrible taste, two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar when mixed into eight or 10 or 12 ounces of water does not taste bad. In fact, you can hardly taste the vinegar. Another tip is to mix some apple cider vinegar in your pet?s food. It can help protect them from mosquitos and flies as well. You can find some companies selling apple cider vinegar capsules as a diet aid. (Apple cider vinegar for dieting is also mentioned in my ebook entitled ?Vinegar Magic?.)

Like they say about Chicken soup, ?It couldn?t hurt.? Be careful when using vinegar. Remember it is acidic so don?t take to much thru the day. Think of it like salad dressing without the oil and salad. Like all things use common sense. If you have stomach or other problems, check with your professional care giver.

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About the Author Article Copyright May 16, 2002 Allen Weber author of Vinegar Magic ebook containing over 375 uses for Vinegar ranging from home, cleaning, personal and pet care, and more uses. Available at:
http://www.VinegarMagic.com sells for $17.76