Kane reports first West Nile case

A 46-year-old Elburn woman was identified as the first Kane County resident to be infected with the West Nile virus, the county health department announced Monday.

The woman is the fourth victim of the mosquito-borne illness reported in Illinois this year. The other victims are from DuPage, Cook and Madison counties.

Last year, four human cases were reported in Kane County. That was down from a high of 17 cases in 2005.

"The Culex mosquito enjoys the warm weather and can be expected to be very active at this time of the year," said Claire Dobbins, the health department's director of health protection.

West Nile virus is transmitted through the bite of a mosquito that has picked up the virus by feeding on an infected bird. Most people with the virus have no clinical symptoms of illness, but some may become ill three to 14 days after getting bitten.

About 20 percent of people bitten by an infected mosquito will fall ill. Illness is usually mild and includes fever, headache and body aches, but the virus can be fatal, especially in people 50 and older. Officials say the best way to prevent the disease is to protect against mosquito bites.