Steve Timko

RGJ

Burning Man organizers have told participants that West Nile virus was found in mosquitoes caught in traps near Gerlach just before the counterculture event began this year.

About 66,000 people attended Burning Man this year.

In its Jackrabbit Speaks newsletter that goes to to more than 200,000 email addresses, organizers say that people going to or from Burning Man risk exposure to the virus.

"We have been briefed by the Nevda Health Department," said Jim Graham, special projects senior advisor for the Burning Man communications team. "We are going to give participants a heads up via our Jackrabbit Speaks newsletter. But we have no reason to believe this is a major issue since there are almost no mosquitoes on the events site."

The Washoe District Health Department said the traps were checked Aug. 22 and were sent to the state lab on Aug. 25. Results came on Tuesday, according to health department spokesman Phil Ulibarri.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 70 percent to 80 percent of the people who get the disease show no symptoms.

"About 1 in 5 people who are infected will develop a fever with other symptoms such as headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea, or rash. Most people with this type of West Nile virus disease recover completely, but fatigue and weakness can last for weeks or months," the CDC said.

About 1 percent of the infected people develop the most serious form of the disease, the CDC reported:

The symptoms of neurologic illness can include headache, high fever, neck stiffness, disorientation, coma, tremors, seizures, or paralysis.

People with certain medical conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension and kidney disease are also at greater risk for serious illness.

Recovery from severe disease may take several weeks or months. Some of the neurologic effects may be permanent.

About 10 percent of people who develop neurologic infection due to West Nile virus will die.