Summary
In 1999, a deadly strain of West Nile virus struck parts of the northeastern United States. Caused by a virus from the family Flaviridae, genus Flavivirus, the disease was common in Africa and the Middle East. Today, it can be found across North America, Europe, and Asia. West Nile can cause serious illness, and in severe cases, lead to encephalitis, a swelling of the brain, which can be fatal. This revised edition of West Nile Virus contains new illustrations and up-to-date information, and takes a look at the origins of this disease, how it is transmitted, how it is treated, and what measures are being taken to combat it. Updates to this edition include expanded information on West Nile virus strains and genetic sequencing of the virus, as well as the latest outbreak statistics and a section discussing recent efforts to create a West Nile virus vaccine.
Chapters include:
- The West Nile Panic
- A Virus Transmitted by Mosquitoes
- How West Nile Virus Causes Disease
- Diagnosis and Treatment of West Nile Virus
- Vaccines and Prevention.
Specifications
Full-color photographs and illustrations. Sidebars. Further reading. References. Glossary. Charts. Diagrams. Web sites. Index.
About the Author(s)
Jeffrey N. Sfakianos, Ph.D., was trained as a virologist in the Department of Microbiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Currently, he is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Cell Biology at Yale University in New Haven, CT, where he studies epithelial cell morphology and protein sorting. He has authored and coauthored more than 10 peer-reviewed manuscripts in the fields of virology, pharmacology, and cell biology.
Alan Hecht, D.C., is a practicing chiropractor in New York. He is an adjunct professor at Farmingdale State College and Nassau Community College and an adjunct associate professor at the C.W. Post campus of Long Island University. Dr. Hecht received a B.S. in biology–pre-medical studies from Fairleigh Dickinson University, an M.S. in basic medical sciences from the New York University School of Medicine, and a Doctor of Chiropractic degree from New York Chiropractic College.
Foreword by David Heymann, World Health Organization