Cassidy Morrison Dailymail.Com Senior Health Reporter
Updated Aug 15, 2023 22:28, Aug 15, 2023 22:52
A working mother in Colorado lost her ability to raise her daughter and work after contracting a rare case of West Nile virus last year.
Lisa Montez, 31, from Windsor, Colorado, believes she contracted the virus about a year ago while hiking and fishing, her favorite pastimes.
An avid hiker who enjoyed knitting, reading, and spending time with her daughter after falling ill and developing debilitating symptoms, she had the ability to drive and maintain a 50-hour work week as a software developer. , and lost the ability to be a caring mother.
West Nile fever, transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito, is often undiagnosed and about 80% of cases are mild, but in severe cases the virus can cause brain swelling and neurological disorders such as meningitis. There is a nature.
About 20 percent of people infected with the virus experience fatigue, fever, headaches, joint pain, rashes and stomach problems.
Many people recover from the West Nile without treatment, but others, like Montez, experience severe symptoms.
Mr. Montes Said: “I had a rash and flu-like symptoms, but instead of feeling better like most people, I felt sick for a few days. I didn’t get better.” It got worse and worse.
“We went from being perfectly healthy, fine and normal to being not and vice versa.”
Now she does not have the energy to participate in her favorite activities and suffers from migraines, fatigue, balance problems and difficulty concentrating.
Her symptoms lead to slow processing and an inability to multitask to pay attention to her surroundings, other vehicles, speed limits and traffic restrictions, and also rob her of her ability to drive.
She also reduced her workload from a grueling 50-hour work week to part-time hours.
Her husband Abel had to take on many household responsibilities as well as being the primary caregiver for the family. 6 year old daughter Aria.
“She couldn’t understand why all of a sudden she couldn’t play with me,” Montez said of her daughter Aria. she mama has to lie down So she really understood that if mom needs to rest, she can.
West Nile virus is spread to humans through the bites of infected mosquitoes, the Culex pipiens. The insect infects the West Nile by feeding on birds, a common host for the virus.
Culex pipiens primarily live around stagnant water sources, such as Lake Montes near northern Colorado.
Public health officials see: overall global rise for the West Nile.
West Nile virus is also the most common mosquito-borne disease in the continental United States, with an estimated 2,200 cases annually. And as the devastating effects of climate change rage on, rising temperatures and longer breeding seasons are driving mosquito populations in the United States.
This increased the overall risk of contracting the disease.
Despite his struggles, Montez is determined to use his experience to educate people about the West Nile and how to prevent it.
she said: “Prevention is prevention, but it’s always been on the back of my mind that one mosquito bite can change your life,” she said.
“Spraying mosquito repellent for two minutes before you leave is really worth it. there is.”