Ron Reid, Survivor Edmonton, wife, Jackie

Canadian scientists test potential West Nile treatment
Last Updated Thu, 20 May 2004 10:14:49

EDMONTON - Five years after West Nile virus arrived in North America, Canadian researchers are still working on finding an effective treatment or vaccine.

People over 50 have a higher risk of becoming seriously ill when they are infected with West Nile virus, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Only a few of those infected with the virus develop severe symptoms like brain damage.

Ron Reid

West Nile victim Ron Reid, 62, of Edmonton was stricken during a trip to Ontario two summers ago. When he came home after 18 months in hospital and rehab, his barber business and retirement dreams were gone.

"The worst thing I had to do was close Ron's barber shop," said his wife, Jackie. "That was the hardest thing. I cried for two days. Ron of course doesn't even know."

Cases like Reid's motivate researchers to continue working on potential treatments and vaccines.

"A vaccine would actually be great use for particularly the elderly individuals in our society who suffer a greater incidence of serious disease from West Nile," said Dr. Harvey Artsob, a West Nile expert with Health Canada's National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg.

Dr. Harvey Artsob

Artsob said a vaccine could be ready in two years. One is now being tested with humans in the U.S. and a second vaccine based on the yellow fever vaccine is nearly ready for testing.

At labs in four Canadian universities, researchers have signed on to test antibodies from people who have fought off the virus. The potential treatment will be injected into some Canadians infected with the virus.

From studying mice, scientists know if the virus is already in the brain then the treatment isn't effective.

Jackie Reid would love to see a treatment or vaccine. "If they could see how it's knocked the heck out of Ron, well, people would really understand it more then," she said.

Until there is a treatment or vaccine, scientists say the best advice is to avoid getting bitten by mosquitoes.

Written by CBC News Online staff