Doctor’s Corner: The threat of West Nile virus

Amid this year’s large national outbreak of the West Nile virus, Georgia has not been hit especially hard so far.

Still, the state Department of Public Health has reported 22 cases, including a new one in DeKalb County last week. Three people in southwest Georgia have died from the mosquito-borne disease. And the season is not over.

Dr. Mark Kishel, medical director of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia, writes in a new Doctor’s Corner column about how the impact of West Nile virus can vary widely.

“In the vast majority of cases, the illness is so mild it may not noticeable at all,’’ he writes. “For some, however, it can cause a mild flu-like illness, but for others it can invade the brain and cause a more severe illness or even death.’’

Kishel also writes about how to decrease your risk of being bitten by mosquitoes. Here’s a link to his column.