Dr. Anthony Fauci, the longtime former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, was reportedly hospitalized in August with West Nile virus.
A spokesman told the Washington Post that Fauci was in the hospital for six days, but is now back home and is expected to make a full recovery.
As director of NIAID, Fauci became the face of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. He retired from government office at the end of 2022 after 50 years of service.
Here’s what we know about West Nile virus: how is it spread and how is it treated?
What is West Nile virus? How does it spread?
The West Nile virus was first discovered in the West Nile region of Uganda in 1937 and spread to New York City in 1999. Today it is widespread in the Americas and parts of North America.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, West Nile virus is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the United States. It is a flavivirus that can infect humans, birds, and horses. Infected birds can carry such a high viral load that mosquitoes that feed on them can transmit the virus to humans.
Although rare, West Nile virus can also be transmitted through blood transfusions.
What are the symptoms of West Nile virus? How serious is it?
Only 1 in 5 people with West Nile virus develop symptoms. These include fever, joint pain, body aches, headache, diarrhea, abdominal pain and rash.
In rare cases, West Nile virus can infect the brain or spinal cord and cause serious illness such as meningitis or encephalitis, called West Nile neuroinvasive disease. People over 60 and those with weakened immune systems or chronic health problems such as diabetes are especially at risk of developing this neuroinvasive disease.
About 10% of these cases are fatal. The risk is higher in patients with encephalitis or myelitis. However, survivors may have permanent neurological problems and symptoms such as fatigue and malaise may persist even after recovery.
How is West Nile virus treated?
There are no vaccines or treatment options other than treating the symptoms of the disease. People who develop neurological problems due to West Nile virus may require hospitalization to treat secondary infections.
How worried should we be about the West Nile virus?
As of August 20, the CDC has confirmed 216 West Nile cases in 33 states in 2024, including more than 25 in Texas. Of these, 142 cases were associated with severe neurological symptoms. West Nile cases are underestimated because most people are asymptomatic and those with symptoms may not know they have the disease.
Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, previously told Yahoo Life that “the concern is not a reason to panic.” However, Schaffner said, “There are things you can do to lower your risk.”
What can we do about it?
As with all mosquito-borne diseases, the best way to avoid West Nile virus is to avoid the mosquitoes that spread it. You can protect yourself by “using mosquito repellent, avoiding areas where mosquitoes are known to be high, and wearing clothing that doesn’t expose a lot of skin,” Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease expert at Johns Hopkins University, previously told Yahoo Life.
You should also work to keep your home mosquito-free. Since mosquitoes also thrive in standing water, avoid areas where they congregate, such as plastic pools, sandboxes, clogged gutters, or birdbaths. This will slow the growth of the mosquito population and hopefully prevent them from biting you.
