PMID: 12771068May 29, 2003Paper

West Nile virus infection in 2002: morbidity and mortality among patients admitted to hospital in southcentral Ontario

CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association Journal = Journal De L'Association Medicale Canadienne
Caitlin PepperellJames Brunton

Abstract

In August and September 2002 an outbreak of West Nile virus (WNV) infection occurred in southern Ontario. We encountered a number of seriously ill patients at our hospitals. In this article we document the clinical characteristics of these cases. We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients who came to the attention of infectious disease or neurology consultants or the microbiology laboratories at 7 hospitals in the municipalities of Toronto, Peel and Halton, Ont. Patients were included if they had been admitted to hospital or stayed overnight in the emergency department, had serological evidence of WNV infection and had clinical evidence of WNV fever, aseptic meningitis, encephalomyelitis or motor neuronopathy. In all, 64 patients met the inclusion criteria; 57 had encephalitis or neuromuscular weakness or both, 5 had aseptic meningitis, and 2 had WNV fever. The mean age was 61 years (range 26-87). The patients were predominantly active, middle-aged or elderly people living independently in the community. Seven patients were immunocompromised A febrile prodromal illness preceded the neurological symptoms in almost all cases. The most common neurological abnormality was decreased level of consciousness; this frequently...Continue Reading

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