Chris Cottrell WI

Appleton Post-Crescent: Your Fox Cities News Source - Oshkosh man recovers after bout with West Nile

Posted January 23, 2007Oshkosh man recovers after bout with West Nile
By Krista B. Ledbetter of The Northwestern
Wear bug spray.

That's all Chris Cottrell can offer as advice. Cottrell, of Oshkosh, spent the past four months on short-term disability, suffering headaches, fatigue, tremors and numbness. Cottrell contracted West Nile virus last summer, and while he couldn't do much to rid his body of the virus, he's now well aware of what can be done to prevent it.

He believes an infected mosquito bit him while in the woods near Tomahawk in August, he said, but it wasn't until a couple weeks later that debilitating symptoms landed him in the hospital for blood tests. And blood tests confirmed West Nile virus.

Chris Cottrell, photographed with his children Shauna, 11, and Al, 15, was out of work for four months after contracted West Nile in August. Cottrell said he still feels fatigue and numbness on his left side. Oshkosh Northwestern Photo by Shu-Ling Zhou

According for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, West Nile virus is a potentially serious illness, spread to a human by a bite from an infected mosquito. In worst-case scenarios, people develop severe symptoms, such as paralysis, vision loss, or even death, but 80 percent of people who are infected never show symptoms at all.

"Your luck has got to be pretty lousy to get this," Cottrell said.

Only one case of West Nile virus was confirmed in Oshkosh last year, said city health director Paul Spiegel.

"Offhand, I don't think we've had any prior human cases here," Spiegel said. "But statewide, a couple years ago, we had a number of widespread cases. The virus spread right across the continental United States."

Spiegel said West Nile virus is likely here to stay. The virus appears to be widespread, and will flare up year after year.

As for Cottrell, he believes he's immune to the virus now, which is a blessing. While out of work for four months and on short-term disability, Cottrell had to seek help from the state to assist him with feeding his two teenage children, and he nearly lost his home. His first day back at work was Jan. 8.

For Christmas, Cottrell's employer, Multi-Conveyor LLC in Winneconne, gathered $1,300 in employee donations, and matched that in order to provide Cottrell and his family a large sum of money to get through the holidays, as well as gifts and food.

"Christmas would've been really slim without it. It was a big-time struggle," he said. "I work with some fantastic guys."

Cottrell found the inability to treat the virus the most frustrating, he said. While he sat at home, battling intense headaches and losing weight – 30 pounds in all – doctors were unable to help, except to treat his symptoms. At one point, he said, he was taking pain relievers, including the occasional Vicodin, every two hours to relieve the aches.

"I can't believe (the government) can't come up with a way to fix this virus," he said.

Although most of Cottrell's symptoms have subsided, he still has the occasional tremor, and a slight numbness on the left side of his face and in his left leg.

"I'm nervous about whether I'm going to fully recover," he said.

Spiegel said a small percentage of the infected population develop severe symptoms, but the health department still stresses that there is potential for severity.

"People should be using good, protective measures when out during mosquito season," Spiegel said. "It's going to be difficult to completely avoid the possibility of contracting it, but the best thing you can do is try to protect yourself from being bitten as best you can."

Krista B. Ledbetter: (920) 426-6656 or kledbetter@thenorthwestern.com

Megan Suzanne Most, Nevada

Nevada Appeal - News: "Douglas West Nile victim still fighting

January 21, 2007--by Susie Vasquez

Progress has been slow, but the fight continues for Megan Suzanne Most, the Douglas County resident who acquired a case of West Nile virus that led to meningitis and ultimately, a crippling paralysis.

Stricken by the disease in July, this single mother of three girls is now talking and breathing on her own. She has movement in one arm and leg, and can move her neck.

In late November, she was on a ventilator most of the time and could not move her head. Most is 34.

'We just keep pushing her,' said Tina Alaniz, one of Most's friends. 'That's all we can do and hope it gets better.'

After the onset of the infection, Most was treated at Carson-Tahoe Hospital, then transferred to South Meadows in Reno for long-term rehabilitative care.

Now that she is off the ventilator she is ready for the next step, a move to Sharp HealthCare in San Diego, Calif., where she will enter a program for patients with spinal chord injuries. The program will equip her with a wheelchair and teach her how to use it,"

"They (Sharp officials) say she's a very good candidate for this program," she said. "Now, it's a matter of when she will go and what she will do afterward."

----- In addition to the physical challenges, Most is facing financial problems with respect to insurance and health care costs. People can send their donations to Greater Nevada Credit Union, account 862957. Checks should be written to Tina Alaniz, for Megan Most. ------

The latest challenge is finding assisted care for her after the Sharp program, which lasts just six weeks, is completed, Alaniz said.

"We're having a big problem with that. Sharp won't take her unless they know what the family is going to do with her after she completes the program, but there are no spots in assisted care in California or Nevada. It's sad," Alaniz said. "We're sitting in limbo."

Right now, Most is scared and upset, and doesn't want to leave northern Nevada because her three daughters are here, Alaniz said.

The girls live with their father in the Reno area.

"It's going to be a long time, but she wants to come home," she said.

Spring is just around the corner and with that, the threat of West Nile as Douglas County's mosquitoes start to swarm.

Alaniz urged people to take precautions, to minimize their chances of acquiring this severe form of the disease.

"People need to be aware of what West Nile can do to someone," she said. "It can hit you hard. Not enough people knew about it last year and everyone I talk to can't believe Megan got this way from West Nile."

A record 123 human cases of West Nile virus were confirmed in Nevada in 2006.

Idaho had more confirmed cases than any other state with a total of 984 and Colorado came in second, with 322. Texas had 327 cases and California, 272, according to figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

Susie Vasquez can be reached at svasquez@recordcourier.com or 782-5121, ext. 211.

Thomas Alan Shade, Victim-OH

Man, 31, succumbs to West Nile virus
William Smead says his son, Alan Shade, struggled with the disease since contracting it in 2002.

By Steve Bennish and Ryan Fox

Staff Writers

Thursday, January 18, 2007

WEST CARROLLTON — A man who contracted West Nile Virus in 2002 while at his job at a Middletown warehouse has died of complications from the disease spread by mosquitoes.

Thomas Alan Shade was only 31 when he died in his West Carrollton apartment on Monday after struggling with the disease for years, his father, William Smead of Centerville, said Wednesday night.

Smead said his son, formerly of Franklin, and two co-workers took a break from their jobs at a warehouse. While resting under a tree, they were bitten by mosquitoes and developed flu-like symptoms.

Shade's symptoms worsened and he never recovered, Smead said. He lapsed into a coma for four weeks and remained in the Bellbrook Rehab and Healthcare Center for four years, for a time needing the assistance of a ventilator. When he recently left the center to take up residence in an apartment, he needed the assistance of home care nurses because of partial paralysis, Smead said.

Smead said the Montgomery County Coroner's Office is to perform an autopsy.

Wednesday evening, Bill Wharton of the Montgomery County Combined Health District said he was unaware of any West Nile cases in the county and said the department is not currently monitoring any potential cases. He said the department urges people to protect themselves with repellent during summer months when mosquitoes are active.

The virus is spread by certain species of mosquitoes, which become infected when they bite infected birds, according to the medical Web site WebMD. People then become infected when the mosquitoes bite them.

The majority of infections either cause no symptoms, or they cause symptoms so mild that people don't realize they have been infected, according to WebMD. In rare cases, the virus can lead to inflammation of the brain or the tissues surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

Fewer than 1 percent of victims will become severely ill, according to the Web site.

Shade also is survived by two daughters, three brothers, and two sisters. Visitation is 6 p.m. Friday, with the funeral at 8 at Gebhart-Schmidt-Parramore Funeral Home, on East Linden Avenue in Miamisburg.



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