West Nile Virus

**Semantic type:** Virus

**Definition:** A species of flavivirus, one of the Japanese encephalitis virus group. It can infect birds and mammals and is spread especially from birds to humans by mosquitoes. Human infection causes an illness marked by fever, headache, muscle ache, skin rash, and sometimes encephalitis or meningitis.

**Synonyms:** - WEST NILE VIRUS - WEST NILE VIRUS - WNV