Fife
Roos
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Summer in Indiana means many things: tall corn, high humidity and plenty of mosquitoes. It is the pesky insects, however, that are on the radar screen of health-care professionals because they can spread the potentially deadly West Nile virus.
The IU School of Medicine is a partner in the fight against the disease, joining with 60 other sites in a National Institutes of Health (NIH) clinical trial of an experimental West Nile virus treatment. IU was one of the 36 sites that began the study last fall. The NIH recently expanded the number of institutions participating in the study of a blood product that has West Nile virus antibodies.
The study is testing the safety and effectiveness of a blood plasma-derived substance containing antibodies to the virus. The study also is collecting preliminary data about the treatment’s effectiveness against encephalitis, a brain inflammation that can result from West Nile virus infection.
The product used in the trial is derived from Israeli blood donors who have antibodies to the virus. West Nile virus has been present in Israel for decades so many people have developed antibodies to the virus.
Until recently, human infection with the virus was limited to Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The first reported case in the U.S. was in the New York City area in 1999. Four years later, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported more than 9,860 cases of West Nile virus and 264 deaths in the country.
The Indiana State Department of Health reported 293 cases and 11 deaths from West Nile virus in 2002, when conditions were hot and dry. Last year, when heavy rains and flooding swept away mosquito eggs from breeding sites, the ISDH reported 47 cases and four deaths.
Typically, cases of the virus are not reported until two or three months after peak season for mosquitoes. If the pattern continues, the ISDH predicts it could be September or October before the majority of cases are reported.
The elderly, the young and people with compromised immune systems are most at risk for the virus, which is characterized by flu-like symptoms. Other symptoms include fever, headaches, muscle aches and joint pain. More severe complications can include brain swelling.
Individuals with severe or persistent headache should seek medical attention. Physicians interested in referring patients to the West Nile virus study may contact the Infectious Diseases Research Clinic at IU Hospital at 317-274-8456. Participants in the trial must be at least 18 years of age and have West Nile virus-related encephalitis, or be at risk of developing it.
IUSM is participating in a second West Nile virus study funded by the National Institutes of Health. This study is designed to collect detailed information on the natural history of West Nile virus infections. The contact information for this study is the same as that listed above. Physicians can call 317-274-8456 for further information.
Drs. Karen Roos and Kenneth Fife are co-investigators for both studies.
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