MODESTO BEE
ORIGINAL ARTICLE

By KEN CARLSON
BEE STAFF WRITER
Last Updated: July 20, 2006, 05:02:39 AM PDT

Officials on Wednesday reported the first two human cases of West Nile virus this year in the Northern San Joaquin Valley.

A 19-year-old Modesto woman was hospitalized with an undetermined form of the illness and a woman from southern San Joaquin County was suffering from neuroinvasive West Nile, officials said.

The Modesto woman came down with symptoms last week and is in stable condition, said Dr. John Walker, county public health officer.

A lab notified the Stanislaus County Health Services Agency that the woman had tested positive. Health workers were trying to determine whether she has West Nile fever or the more severe form, which attacks the nervous system and can have long-lasting effects.

Symptoms of the more severe form include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, tremor, convulsions and paralysis. Symptoms may last several weeks.

The milder form comes with fever, headache, body aches, nausea and vomiting. It tends to last a few days.

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