In the fall of 1999 the mosquito-borne West Nile virus (WNV) killed 7 people in the NY City area and made dozens more very sick. It was initially misidentified as a different, related mosquito-borne virus often found in the U.S. The outbreak serves as a source of lessons about how public health (PH) officials can be better prepared in responding to potential crises involving uncertain causes, and how they can detect and respond to an act of biological terrorism. This report reviews the WNV outbreak and the response to it, focusing on establishing a chronological account of the events that occurred; and identifying lessons learned for PH and bioterrorism preparedness.

Japanese encephalitis and West Nile viruses are members of the Japanese encephalitis serological group of the genus Flavivirus and therefore closely related genetically and antigenically. They share a number of properties, including the use of birds as their major wildlife maintenance host and Culicine mosquitoes for transmission, and they are both associated with severe human disease, as well as fatal infections in horses. The emergence of these two viruses, and their well-established propensity to colonise new areas, make it timely to re-examine their ecology, biology, molecular structure, replication and epidemiology, and these therefore provide the focus of this volume.

A renowned immunologist alerts readers to the growing threat of mutant germs that are everywhere and seem to be building resistance to traditional medicines and the lack of new antibiotics and drugs to treat these emerging diseases. Reprint. 15,000 first printing.

In this period of obvious natural emergence of viral and other diseases, it is unclear as to what diseases are emerging, why they are emerging, and what, if anything, can be done to prevent or diminish their impact. This book, a compendium of presentations made at an international meeting of experts, provides summaries of areas of concern and details as to how disease agents such as Nipah and Hendra viruses in Australasia and West Nile virus in the Americas might have suddenly appeared. Either by alterations in natural habitats and diversity or by chance, pathogens emerge from time to time. This book addresses various aspects of such emergences, such as pathogenetic mechanisms of viruses, diagnosis of viral infections, viral host-management strategies, viral genetics, vaccine development and application. It is especially valuable for laboratory virologists, disease ecologists, physicians, and those who want to understand the complexities of viral characteristics.

As new cases of West Nile Virus begin to appear across the United States, this book offers a timely discussion of this potentially devastating disease. Author Melissa Abramovitz outlines the mechanics of virus transmission and how mosquitoes and disease-carrying birds have played a key role in the West Nile Virus epidemic. This book covers basic information about the virus and its possible effects, as well as a discussion of personal and governmental prevention plans. The last chapter focuses on treatments currently in development.