In areas where the virus has been t...

In areas where the virus has been transmitted, the CDC has asked physicians to check for West Nile virus infection in pregnant women presenting with unexplained agitation or neurologic illness. Interim guidelines for evaluating infants born to women infected with the virus during pregnancy are available in consequence of the CDC's Web site at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/congenitalinterimguidelines.htm. The CDC press ons health care professionals to report any patients infected with the virus during pregnancy promptly to the local or state health department. Although rare, infection during pregnancy has been associated with spontaneous abortion and neonatal illness. It has not been known to cause birth defaults For general information on the virus, proceed to http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/index.htm. A patient information handout forward West Nile virus from the AAFP is available online at http://familydoctor.org/790.xml.

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