A 13-year-old has been hospitalized with a rare complication stemming from a West Nile virus infection.
Joseph Vasquez, from Long Beach, California, has been hospitalized at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles after being diagnosed with transverse myelitis (TM), sudden inflammation in the spinal cord that damages the protective coating around nerve fibers.
His family said Vasquez was a healthy teen until he noticed mosquito bites on his body that began developing into a full-body rash about two weeks ago.
Then, he experienced a mild headache and pain in his legs, along with a low fever.
His family wrote that his health continued to deteriorate until he eventually lost all mobility in both of his legs.
He was hospitalized and while in the hospital he went on to develop severe abdominal pain, a stiff neck and loss of bladder and bowel control.
Doctors diagnosed him with TM and began treating him with steroids, his family wrote on their GoFundMe.
Then, after spending days in the intensive care unit and undergoing what his family said was ‘extensive testing,’ doctors determined that the mosquito-borne West Nile virus was responsible for Vasquez’s TM.
Joseph Vasquez has been hospitalized at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles after being diagnosed with transverse myelitis (TM)
TM is sudden inflammation in the spinal cord that damages the protective coating around nerve fibers
TM is a rare complication of West Nile virus, particularly in people who develop neuroinvasive disease, when the virus penetrates the blood-brain barrier and travels to the meninges, causing meningitis and potential paralysis.
Los Angeles County is reporting a surge in cases of West Nile virus. As of October 1, the county reported 180 cases, the most recorded in almost 10 years.
Among the 180 cases, the County of Los Angeles Public Health reported 160 neuroinvasive diagnoses.
Of the 160 cases, 122 are encephalitis – brain swelling – 28 are meningitis – inflammation of the protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord – and ten are acute flaccid paralysis.
One-hundred sixty-two people are hospitalized and seven people have died.
According to CDC data, which often lags between state and local data, California has recorded 211 cases of West Nile virus.
And it’s not just California; cases of mosquito-borne diseases and mosquitoes carrying dangerous pathogens, including West Nile virus, are increasingly spreading across the US.
Warmer temperatures, rapid urban growth and global travel are all helping the mosquitoes – and the disease – expand into places where they have never been a problem before in numbers larger than typical.
While most patients who contract West Nile virus have few or mild symptoms, some may suffer potentially life-threatening brain swelling, along with infections and paralysis.
West Nile virus is caused by a bite from Culex mosquitoes and is most common in Great Plains states like North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Colorado, though cities like Los Angeles, Chicago and Dallas-Fort Worth also record high levels due to large populations.
Many of these states have also extended mosquito season – which runs from late spring through early fall – due to the increases in mosquito prevalence later in the year.
The disease usually causes no symptoms, but in one in five patients, it can lead to fever, headaches, nausea, diarrhea, joint pain and pain behind the eyes.
TM is a rare complication of West Nile virus, particularly in people who develop neuroinvasive disease
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About one in 150 cases are neuroinvasive.
CDC data shows there have been 987 cases of West Nile virus and 750 cases of West Nile virus neuroinvasive disease.
Forty-three states are reporting cases.
Last year, there were 2,167 cases of West Nile virus in total.
It’s unclear how many of last year’s cases were neuroinvasive, but CDC data shows there were 1,342 hospitalizations for neuroinvasive disease.
There were 172 deaths recorded last year.
Older adults, people with weakened immune systems and those with certain chronic conditions face the highest risk of severe illness due to West Nile.
Survivors of severe West Nile illness may experience long-lasting complications, including memory problems, chronic fatigue, muscle tremors or permanent neurological damage.
West Nile virus can be prevented primarily by avoiding mosquito bites.
CDC officials recommend using insect repellents that contain the ingredient DEET, wearing long sleeves and pants outside and staying inside between dusk and dawn during the summer.
Vasquez’s family also urged people to ‘please take mosquito-borne illnesses seriously.’
They wrote: ‘Joseph’s experience has opened our family’s eyes to how quickly a mosquito-borne illness can become a serious medical emergency.
‘Please take precautions to protect yourself and your family from mosquito bites, follow public health recommendations, and seek medical attention if concerning symptoms develop or worsen.
‘We never imagined that something that began with what seemed like minor symptoms could change Joseph’s life so quickly.’
