West Nile Virus IgM Test

The West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne virus that can cause a wide variety of diseases in the human body. The virus currently has no vaccine, with over 75% of infected people having little or few symptoms. The most common symptoms include fever, headache, vomiting or rashes. In rare cases, diseases such as encephalitis or meningitis may occur, with seizures, delirium and neck stiffness being associated with the disease. The virus was first detected in Uganda in 1937.

The virus is usually carried by infected mosquitoes who themselves become carriers while feeding on infected birds. It is rarely transmitted through blood transfusions, organ transplants or from the mother to the baby during pregnancy and breastfeeding. The disease is usually diagnosed on the basis of symptoms and blood tests. It is common to large parts of the world including Africa, the Middle East, India, South-East Asia, Europe and North America.

The presence of the West Nile virus is detected through the testing of blood serum, using the ELISA technique. The process of the extraction of blood serum is typically done by extracting blood from a vein closer to the skin, especially near the elbow. For this process, it is recommended that the patient wear short-sleeved clothing to make the area for blood extraction easily accessible. There are no dietary restrictions that need to be carried out, however, the prescribing doctor might provide other instructions based on other blood tests.

The blood serum is tested using the ELISA technique, detecting the presence of the virus-specific antibodies. To confirm the disease, the test is repeated 2-3 weeks after the onset of acute symptoms. Care should be taken while performing the test since cross-reactions tend to occur amongst other insect-borne diseases such as the dengue virus and the tick-borne encephalitis virus.

While there is no vaccine for the West Nile virus, certain common precautions against the proliferation of mosquitoes can prevent the disease. The use insect repellents and mosquito nets are prescribed in areas with higher concentrations of the disease.

The procedure for the extraction of blood serum is fairly simple and can be performed anywhere with a clean and well-lit environment. Given below is the process for the blood extraction: A rubber nozzle is tied to the upper arm near the bicep to thrust the vein closer to the skin. The area near the elbow is rubbed with a cotton pad dipped in medicated alcohol to de-sensitize the area and disinfect the spot.

A hypodermic syringe is inserted into the vein and the blood is extracted. After the blood has been extracted, a tight pressure is applied to the area for a few minutes to prevent excess bleeding by allowing the blood to coagulate.