St. Louis handles West Nile virus, research

While scientists in Florida, New York and Nevada deal with anthrax, those closer to home are studying the West Nile virus, hoping to stanch a St. Louis outbreak.

Infectious disease specialists at Washington University are trying to isolate the part of the immune system that combats the virus.

That would explain why only a fraction of those infected with the mosquito-borne encephalitis become seriously ill and even fewer die.

Last week, Missouri and St. Louis-area health officials announced that the virus had been found in five dead crows around the city. There have been no human cases reported in the region, but there have been 100 cases in this country since the virus was discovered in New York two years ago. Ten victims have died.

Most of those infected have no symptoms, but others report fever, head and body aches, skin rash and swollen lymph nodes. There is no treatment for the disease.

Missouri residents can be proud that research to cure this baffling virus is happening in their home state.