Mysterious Carson City virus may be linked to outbreaks elsewhere

A mysterious malady that sent a handful of Carson City children with possible viral meningitis to the hospital last week may be connected to similar outbreaks in Sacramento, Southern California desert communities, Colorado and Georgia, officials said Friday.

Symptoms can mimic West Nile virus, but officials think it may just be a bad case of the summer flu.

"Symptoms (in other areas of the country) range from what we're seeing here," said Carson Environmental Health director Darren Winkelman. "Carson City just happened to pick it up somehow."

City and state health investigators are awaiting test results from last week's patients to find out what strain of virus may be circulating.

"These are not new viruses," said Dr. Ken Gershman, chief of the Colorado communicable diseases program who has seen the number of patients with viral meningitis jump this summer. "They are always around in the summer."

Gershman's hypothesis is that the illness is being caused by a strain of enterovirus, sometimes called the summer flu and is the most common cause of viral meningitis. The strain seen in Colorado is also causing rashes in patients.

The type of viral meningitis some patients in Carson City may have contracted will take care of itself eventually and does not require antibiotics.

Carson health officials are recommending monitoring children who show signs of dehydration, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, fever and body aches and to keep them home from day care or school and seek medical advice if needed.

Officials in Colorado are awaiting test results from the centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Georgia to determine what strain of enterovirus is making its way across the country.

Nevada Department of Health staff investigating the Carson illnesses did not return phone calls Thursday or Friday but are reportedly still looking into what sickened five children last week, sending them to the Carson-Tahoe Hospital with fever and headaches. All five children attended the same Carson day care center.

Other cases were reported this week to health officials from Carson-area doctors.

The virus is spread through stool, saliva or sneezes, making children more susceptible. Tests to determine whether patients had viral meningitis are expected to be completed next week.

Cases of viral meningitis in some Southern California counties, also mostly affecting children, have jumped this year. More than 400 cases were reported this year compared to 114 last year. The cases in San Bernardino, Riverside and Imperial counties have health officials concerned, the Associated Press reported Friday.

Sacramento County officials are also reporting a record for the year.

No deaths have been reported from the virus, but officials have seen an increase in hospitalizations.

Gershman said he has received calls from health officials in Kansas and Wyoming who may also be seeing similar viral illness outbreaks.

Symptoms of viral meningitis can include headaches, nausea, fever and rash and are similar to those of the West Nile virus. The symptoms usually last from seven to 10 days and the person recovers completely, according to the National Center of Infectious Diseases.

Colorado has reported four deaths from the West Nile virus this year and attribute the jump to a wet June and hot July. The weather has caused an abundance of diseased mosquitoes to flourish in the state, said Colorado Department of Public Heath spokeswoman Cindy Parmenter.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.