Transmission of West Nile Virus by Tissue and Body Fluids

There is little or no evidence to show that zoonotic infections can be transmitted through exchange of body fluids. Two recent reports indicate that mother's milk and blood products can transmit West Nile virus (WNV).

One report involves a 40-year-old woman who delivered a normal full-term baby. The mother required 2 units of packed red blood cells postpartum for anemia. From the 10th to the 12th day postpartum, the mother developed headache, fever to 102.8°F, and a peripheral white blood-cell count (WBC) of 2900 cells/mm³. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination showed an elevated WBC (134 cells/mm³) but normal CSF glucose and protein. The mother breast-fed her infant for 6 days following symptom onset. Although the child remained healthy, it…