West Nile Virus (WNV). Mosquito on skin. West Nile virus is carried by certain types of mosquitoes in Michigan. It is a potentially serious disease that can ...SomefunctionsofthissitearedisabledforbrowsersblockingjQuery.SkiptomaincontentAgenciesOnlineServicesDirectoriesHelpCenterConnectMI.govEmergingDiseaseIssuesMIDiseaseMapperTicksandYourHealthMosquitoesandYourHealthBeingSafeAroundAnimalsBedBugs,HeadLice,andScabiesDiseasesaffectingwildlifeYouarehereEmergingDiseaseIssuesWestNileVirus(WNV)WestNilevirusiscarriedbycertaintypesofmosquitoesinMichigan.Itisapotentiallyseriousdiseasethatcanaffectanyone,butpeopleoverage60aremorelikelytogetthemoresevereformofWNVillness.Theriskofbitesfrominfectedmosquitoesishighestforpeoplewhoworkorplayoutdoors.Wearinginsectrepellentwhenoutdoors(especiallyatdawnanddusk)isimportanttopreventWNV.Sickactingordeadbirds,especiallycrowsandbluejaysmaybeanindicationofWNVinacommunity.Reportsickactingordeadwildlife2021 WeeklyArbovirusSurveillanceSummary,includingWestNilevirus inMichigan(UpdatedJuly15,2021):Whoisatrisk?AnyonelivinginanareawhereWestNilevirusispresentinmosquitoescangetinfected.InMichigan,outbreaksofWNVhavebeenoccurringeverysummersince2002.UrbanareasinSoutheasternLowerMichigan(Macomb,Oakland,andWaynecounties)andWesternLowerMichigan(Kentcounty)havehistoricallyseenthemostWestNilevirusactivity.Theriskofinfectionishighestforpeoplewhoworkoutsideorparticipateinoutdooractivitiesbecauseofgreaterexposuretomosquitoes.Seriousillnesscanoccurinpeopleofanyage.However,peopleover60yearsofageareatthegreatestriskforseveredisease.Peoplewithcertainmedicalconditions,suchascancer,diabetes,hypertension,kidneydisease,andpeoplewhohavereceivedorgantransplants,arealsoatgreaterriskforseriousillness.SignsandSymptomsWhatarethesymptomsofWestNilevirusinfection?Nosymptomsinmostpeople.Mostpeople(70-80%)whobecomeinfectedwithWestNilevirusdonotdevelopanysymptoms.Febrileillnessinsomepeople.About1in5peoplewhoareinfectedwilldevelopafeverwithothersymptomssuchasheadache,bodyaches,jo