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WEBVTT AS KCRA 3'S MAX RESNIK EXPLAINS,YUBA COUNTY HAS NEVER SEEN THISVIRUS.MAX: ASK AROUND, AND NOT MANYPEOPLE HAVE HEARD OF ST. LOUISENCEPHALITIS VIRUS.>> I HAVE NOT NOTICED TOO MANYMOSQUITOES OUT HERE.MAX: TO THE EXPERTS, THIS ISSOMETHING EVERYONE SHOULD KNOWABOUT IT.>> WITH ANY MOSQUITO BORNEDISEASE, PEOPLE SHOULD THINKABOUT THEIR EXPOSURE TOMOSQUITOES AND MOSQUITO BITES.MAX: ACCORDING TO THECALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OFPUBLIC HEALTH, MOST PEOPLECARRYING THE VIRUS EXHIBIT FEWOR NO SYMPTOMS.SOME WILL HAVE FLULIKE SYMPTOMS.SEVERE CASES, ESPECIALLY IN THEELDERLY, CAN AFFECT THE CENTRALNERVOUS SYSTEM AND CAUSE DEATH.>> IN VERY RARE CASES, THOSE CANPROGRESS TO WHERE YOU HAVEENCEPHALITIS AND INFLAMMATION OFTHE BRAIN THAT CAN CAUSE SEVERESYMPTOMS.MAX: STEPHEN SAYS THE VIRUS WASDISCOVERED IN A MOSQUITO SAMPLELAST WEEK.>> PRETTY SURPRISING.THERE HAVE BEEN IN THE LASTCOUPLE OF YEARS IN SOUTHERNCALIFORNIA AND I THINK UP INTOTHE SOUTHERN END OF THE VALLEY,WE HAVE HAD SOME SMALLDETECTIONS.MAX: ACCORDING TO THE CENTERSFOR DISEASE CONTROL, THE ST.LOUIS ENCEPHALITIS VIRUS WASDETECTED IN CALIFORNIA.IT DISAPPEARED UNTIL 2015 ANDHAS NOW REEMERGED.VECTOR CONTROL DISTRICTS INSACRAMENTO, YELLOW, AND PLACER

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The Sutter-Yuba Mosquito and Vector Control District has identified the St. Louis encephalitis virus for the first time in the region.The mosquito-borne virus was discovered Aug. 31 in a mosquito trap in the area of Plumas Lake. It was collected the following day and sent for analysis at UC Davis.On Friday, it was determined that the mosquitoes were carrying St. Louis encephalitis virus, also known as SLEV.Birds transmit the virus to Culex mosquitoes, which are the same mosquitoes that carry West Nile virus. In turn, mosquitoes can infect humans with the virus, though no cases have been reported thus far."It's pretty surprising," said Stephen Abshier, with Sutter-Yuba Mosquito and Vector Control District. "But there have been, in the last couple years, in Southern California and I think up into the southern end of the valley, we've had some small detections." Dave Heft, with the Turlock Mosquito Abatement District, said his office discovered the virus in their region on Aug. 1. He said the last occurrence of SLEV in Stanislaus County was in the mid- to late-1990s.Most people won't know they've been bitten by a mosquito carrying the virus and aren't likely to show any symptoms. Some will exhibit flu-like symptoms, similar to West Nile virus.According to the California Department of Public Health, severe cases can affect the central nervous system, resulting in serious symptoms like paralysis, coma and death.The elderly and those with weak immune systems are most at risk for severe complications, the department said in a 2016 fact sheet on the virus."In very rare cases, those can progress to where you have encephalitis -- an inflammation of the brain that can cause severe symptoms," Abshier said. SLEV was first detected in California in 1937. It was detectable on a continual basis until 2003, when West Nile virus became the predominant mosquito-borne illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, . Then, in 2015, it reemerged. Heft believes this is due to the SLEV strain's strength. He theorizes it's now overtaking West Nile virus. The Sacramento-Yolo and Placer mosquito and vector control districts have not seen SLEV yet, but both said they're continually monitoring for the virus. "It's definitely a concern and another disease that we want people to be aware of," said Gary Goodman, with the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District.Experts advise that people wear long sleeves and use bug spray to avoid all mosquito-borne viruses. There is no vaccine for the virus, and there is no specific treatment, other than treating the symptoms associated with the virus.