Thursday, August 30, 2007

According to city health officials in Hammond, Indiana, there have been two more cases of West Nile virus reported in humans.

West Nile virus’ (WNV) is a virus of the family Flaviviridae; part of the Japanese encephalitis (JE) antigenic complex of viruses, it is found in both tropical and temperate regions. It mainly infects birds, but is known to infect humans, horses, dogs, cats, bats, chipmunks, skunks, squirrels, and domestic rabbits. The main route of human infection is through the bite of an infected mosquito.

The two victims are former chief of police, Frank DuPey and a 67-year-old Hammond resident. Currently both patients are hospitalized with acute disease, according to Hammond Health Officer-Administrator Rodrigo Panares.