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74 °F Forecast | Road Cams Tuesday, September 28, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend September 13, 2004 Since You Asked West Nile vaccine not yet available With all the news about West Nile virus finally coming to Oregon, I’m curious about why we don’t have a vaccine to protect us from this bug. — Shannon D., Phoenix Because things take time, Shannon. Scientists first identified the West Nile virus in Africa in the 1930s, but it did not migrate to North America until 1999. American scientists began looking for a cure in earnest only when people started dying on this side of the water. Advertisement By July 2003 scientists developed a test that positively identified the presence of West Nile virus in human blood and they were busily putting the finishing touches on a human vaccine. Recent news reports suggest that several companies plan to test potential vaccines over the next three years. If the West Nile virus makes you anxious, try to relax. While it’s true there were 10,000 confirmed cases of West Nile virus in the U.S. in 2003 and 262 deaths, you’re far more likely to die from falling down a flight of stairs than from West Nile. In 2001, for example, 15,000 people in the U.S. died of falls, and 3,281 drowned, including 322 who fell into their bathtubs. Electricity killed 431 people; 3,309 died in fires; and 742 suffocated after inhaling food that blocked their windpipes. Most people who are exposed to the West Nile virus will never know they had it. About 80 percent of people who are infected show no symptoms. Fewer than one infected person in 100 comes down with a serious illness. Send questions to "Since You Asked," Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by e-mail to [email protected] . We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them. Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities