Briton in coma after mosquito bite in US

From The Times-UK

October 8, 2007

Briton in coma after mosquito bite in US

Stephanie Condron
A Briton who is in a coma after being bitten by a mosquito is thought to have become the first European victim of the deadly “Triple E” virus.

Michael Nicholson, 35, began to feel tired after he returned from a fishing holiday in Rhode Island, in the northeast United States, with bites around his ankles.

When Mr Nicholson, a painter from Livingston, West Lothian, went to see his GP he suffered a seizure and then lost consciousness. If he lives, he is expected to be severely disabled for the rest of his life.
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Triple E

— Recognised in Massachusetts in 1831 when 75 horses died of encephalitic illness. The first human cases emerged in 1938 when 30 children died in northeastern USA

itching just a little bit more right now?

:scared:

of them are in N Am.

Arbovirus = arthropod-borne virus

http://www.dhpe.org/infect/Arbovirus.html

".....More than 100 arboviruses cause disease in humans. Most of these are classified into groups, or families. Among the best known are: alphaviruses, flaviviruses, bunyaviruses, and reoviruses. Each causes specific types of illness. These are some examples.

Alphaviruses

Eastern Equine encephalitis
Western Equine encephalitis
Venezuelan equine encephalitis
Flaviviruses

St. Louis encephalitis
Japanese encephalitis
Yellow fever
Dengue
Bunyaviruses

LaCrosse encephalitis
Reoviruses
Colorado tick fever....."

My brother contracted WNV two years ago. He also was seizing and then went into a coma. He was on a respirator for 10 days. He was immediately life flighted to OSU hospital.

Two years later, he still spends most of his time after work in bed. The neurological effects make him appear drunk when he's tired. He looks terrible and has severe high blood pressure now, even though he's normal weight for his height.

He will never be the same and be lucky if he survives another 5 years.