Virus
West Nile virus
Culex flavivirus, neuroinvasive, birds
west NYLE VY-rus
High-yield clue
Culex-transmitted flavivirus with birds as the amplifying reservoir; the classic clue is neuroinvasive disease (encephalitis/meningitis).
Overview
A positive-sense single-stranded RNA flavivirus maintained in a bird reservoir and transmitted to humans by Culex mosquitoes, studied as a leading cause of neuroinvasive arboviral disease.
Classification
- Flaviviridae
- Genus Orthoflavivirus
- Positive-sense ssRNA
- Enveloped
- Arbovirus
Lab & identification clues
- CSF antibody detection vocabulary
- Neuroinvasive disease framing
- Bird die-off surveillance concept
Associations
- Culex mosquito vector
- Birds as amplifying reservoir host
- Neuroinvasive encephalitis and acute flaccid paralysis vocabulary
- Humans and horses as dead-end hosts
Commonly confused with
- Japanese encephalitis virus
- St. Louis encephalitis virus
Frequently asked questions
What is West Nile virus?
A positive-sense single-stranded RNA flavivirus maintained in a bird reservoir and transmitted to humans by Culex mosquitoes, studied as a leading cause of neuroinvasive arboviral disease.
What are the lab clues for West Nile virus?
Lab clues for West Nile virus include CSF antibody detection vocabulary, Neuroinvasive disease framing, and Bird die-off surveillance concept.
What is West Nile virus commonly confused with?
West Nile virus is commonly confused with Japanese encephalitis virus and St. Louis encephalitis virus.
Original student-study summary. Sources checked: OpenStax Microbiology 2e, NCBI Bookshelf Medical Microbiology, and CDC topic pages where applicable; reviewed 2026-06. Educational only; no diagnosis, treatment, dosing, or specimen-handling guidance.