He was taken to CentraCare Health in Monticello, where at first they thought he had a stroke, says Stephanie. After being transported to CentraCare in St. Cloud, he was diagnosed with West Nile Virus, which can lead to permanent central nervous system damage. In some cases it can be fatal.

 

The virus, which is transmitted by mosquito bites, originated in Africa and was first found in the U.S. in 1999 in New York City. It rapidly moved across the country and was first seen in 2002 in Minnesota.

Since that time there have been 645 cases reported in Minnesota with 19 fatalities.

 

Dave Neitzel, supervisor of the vector borne diseases unit that works on mosquito and tick-transmitted diseases at the MN Dept. of Health, says the mosquito that does most of the West Nile Virus transmission is culex tarsalis.

 

“It is more common in central and western Minnesota - the more open agricultural part of the state,” he says. “We consider Sherburne County to be one of the higher risk counties in the state for West Nile Virus.”

Culex tarsalis feeds on different species of birds, which can carry the disease. They can pick up the virus and then transmit it to humans.

 

Other types of mosquitoes, like those in the lake areas up north, don’t carry the virus. Neitzel says culex tarsalis doesn’t need the wet weather like the state has been having this summer. It can breed in warm, dry weather.

 

“We have a lot of pest mosquitoes biting us. Those are not closely related to culex. They’re the ones that lay their eggs around the edges of a wetland area,” says Neitzel. “Culex lay their eggs on existing water as opposed to finding a low spot.”

 

In farm areas like Sherburne County, there are thousands of miles of drainage ditches that hold water, which stagnates in the summer and becomes a breeding ground.

 

By mid-July, the virus has had a chance to amplify in the mosquito-bird cycle, causing a higher prevalence of infected mosquitoes.

 

But not everyone who gets bitten by an infected mosquito has the same reaction.

 

“A lot of people don’t have any symptoms at all. They fight off the virus and they’re fine,” says Neitzel. “But if you tested their blood you’d see there’s evidence they were infected in the past.”

 

About 25% of those infected will develop a fever. Some will get severe headaches and a rash that disappears in a day or two.

 

“One of about 150 infections will be a more severe illness with either encephalitis or meningitis where the virus invades the central nervous system,” says Neitzel. “Usually the folks who get that are middle aged to elderly and may have a compromised immune system.”

 

There is no direct treatment for the virus. Doctors offer supportive care to try to reduce the severity of the swelling and damage to the  central nervous system, says Neitzel.

 

That’s what is happening with Novak. Doctors are treating him with anti-inflammatories and ice packs to reduce swelling. Stephanie says her father doesn’t recognize anyone, but can communicate by squeezing someone’s hand or blinking when asked questions. 

 

There is the potential for long-term problems with motor skills and cognitive difficulties, depending on what part of the brain is affected.

 

An MRI showed no brain damage, says Stephanie. Her father can’t move his legs, but can feel them if someone touches them. And he’s getting physical therapy in bed every day. 

 

“It’s a waiting game at this,” she says. “It could take months or years, for him to recover.”

 

Neitzel says people in this area should be aware that even though the virus hasn’t infected many people in the state this year, there’s always a chance it could happen.

 

“We want people to know the risk is higher in central and western Minnesota,” he says,  “especially now.”