Ex-director of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Anthony Fauci recovering after hospitalisation for West Nile virus

Washington, DC [US], August 25 (ANI): Former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, US, Dr. Anthony Fauci is recovering well after hospitalisation for the West Nile virus, reported CNN.

Fauci, a former top US infectious disease expert, became a household name as part of the White House Coronavirus Task Force.

According to his spokesperson, Fauci is recovering at home after being hospitalised with West Nile virus, and expected to recover fully.

Each year, the most severe strain of the West Nile virus–which is contracted by mosquito bites–sends about 1,000 Americans to hospitals. An average of 1,500 more infections are discovered once symptoms appear, but doctors believe that up to 80 per cent of illnesses in the US go undiagnosed. For West Nile, there is no specific treatment or vaccination available.

The months with the highest viral activity are August and September. According to preliminary statistics from the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, as of August 20, 216 cases–142 neuroinvasive cases–had been documented this year in 33 states, reported CNN.

The majority of cases are minor, resulting in rash and flu-like symptoms.

The virus can cause brain swelling, brain damage, or even death when it infiltrates the brain and neurological system, which happens in around 1 in 150 cases. Infections with West Nile virus claim the lives of about 100 Americans every year.