
West Nile Has Been Found in Iowa Mosquitoes
The good news is that at the time of writing, no humans in Iowa have yet tested positive for the West Nile virus.
Mosquitos on the other hand have been found containing the virus in central Iowa. According to KCRG, mosquitoes were trapped at a park in West Ames sometime in mid-July. The park where these mosquitoes were found is sprayed or fogged every Wednesday night. Some of these mosquitoes contained the West Nile virus.
Is this something you should worry about?
How Serious is West Nile Virus?
According to Hopkins Medicine, humans get West Nile from the bite of an infected mosquito. Most of the time, the West Nile virus causes no symptoms or only mild, flue-like, symptoms.

If you are infected with the West Nile virus, there's a decent chance you won't be aware of it. However, it would be best if you got medical care for any of these serious symptoms. To be fair...you're probably going to the doctor for most of these anyway, regardless if you think it's West Nile or not. It's hard to imagine not going to the doctor if you start to lose your vision.
- High Fever
- Severe Headache
- Stiff Neck
- Confusion
- Vision Loss
- Muscle Weakness
- Numbness
- Paralysis
- Tremors
- Seizures
While you're probably going to be okay if infected with the virus, it can cause life-limiting illnesses and there is no vaccine to prevent West Nile. The best step you can take is the prevent mosquito bites.
You can use mosquito repellent, and wear long sleeve shirts and pants when possible. The early evening is when mosquitos are most active so you can stay inside if you're worried about being bitten. Mosquitoes also like to lay eggs around standing water, so it's advised to limit or get rid of standing water sources around your home.
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