Калифорниялық энцефалит вирусы және оның қоздырғыштары

Species of virus

California encephalitis orthobunyavirus type strain California encephalitis virus was discovered in Kern County, California, and causes encephalitis in humans. Encephalitis is an acute inflammation of the brain that can cause minor symptoms, such as headaches, to more severe symptoms such as seizures. Mosquitoes serve as its carrier and for this reason this virus is known as an arbovirus (arthropod borne virus). California encephalitis orthobunyavirus belongs to the Bunyavirales order of viruses. The La Crosse Virus from the same genus is also a common cause of encephalitis in the United States. Other viruses with similar disease symptoms but genetically unrelated include: Saint Louis encephalitis and West Nile virus.

The incubation period of California encephalitis is usually 3–7 days. An early symptoms phase of 1–4 days commonly precedes the onset of encephalitis, manifesting as fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, headache, lethargy and abdominal pain. In patients who are very sick, supportive treatment, such as mechanical ventilation, is equally important. Corticosteroids are used to reduce brain swelling and inflammation. Sedatives may be needed for irritability or restlessness. Acetaminophen is used for fever and headache. Anticonvulsants are used to prevent seizures. If brain function is severely affected, interventions like physical therapy and speech therapy may be needed after the illness is controlled.

Factors influencing the transmission and control of arboviral encephalitis, in general, include: the season, geographical location, patient age, and the regional climate. There are approximately 75 cases reported per year. In all three cases there was strong laboratory evidence confirming infection, due to the presence of neutralizing antibodies linked to California encephalitis. Since then, most cases of encephalitis have been associated with the La Crosse virus, and California encephalitis is a rare cause of disease in the Western world. The original California Encephalitis virus was isolated and put alongside fifteen other related viruses that are now categorized as the "California serogroup". From 1996 to 1998, approximately three times as many reported human cases of arboviral encephalitis were caused by California serogroup viruses than were reported for western equine encephalomyelitis viruses, St. Louis encephalitis, and eastern equine encephalomyelitis viruses combined.