what is Jamestown Canyon virus?
Jamestown Canyon virus is a mosquito-borne orthobunyavirus, found across much of the United States but most often reported in the upper Midwest, that can cause flu-like illness and, in severe cases, brain or spinal cord inflammation.
Why it matters: It is one of two viruses now found in Kent County mosquitoes this season, and with no vaccine or treatment, preventing bites is the only protection.
- Spread through bites of infected mosquitoes; deer and other hoofed animals are the main reservoir hosts. People are 'dead-end' hosts and do not pass the virus on.
- First isolated in 1961 near Jamestown, Colorado; it is closely related to La Crosse and snowshoe hare viruses.
- Many infected people have no symptoms; others get fever, headache, and fatigue. About half of symptomatic cases are hospitalized, and severe disease can include encephalitis or meningitis.
- No vaccine or specific medicine exists. Prevention means using repellent with 10–35% DEET, wearing long sleeves, and eliminating standing water around the home.
