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Measles cases are on the rise globally and here in Illinois the number is increasing as well. Vaccines are 97% effective in preventing this highly contagious disease.  To learn more about this infection and get information on vaccination, go to https://dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/diseases-and-conditions/diseases-a-z-list/measles.html.  Learn how to identify measles and the safe and effective vaccine that can prevent this potentially life-threatening infection for adults and children. 

WNV Healthcare Provider Information

Commercial laboratory tests for West Nile virus by serology (IgM capture ELISA) or polymerase chain reaction are now available. Any patient testing positive for West Nile virus at a commercial laboratory should be reported to the local health department. For reporting purposes, confirmatory testing at the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is typically required by IDPH for validation of commercial laboratory tests that are positive for West Nile virus.

Testing Guidelines

  • Diagnostic testing for WNV is generally NOT recommended for individuals with non-specific "flu-like" symptoms in the outpatient setting. There are many causes of these non-specific symptoms and testing for WNV would be non-productive for the majority of patients.
  • WNV testing should also be considered in the setting of other neurologic syndromes, especially severe muscle weakness. Approximately 10 percent of patients in the 1999 New York outbreak had complete flaccid paralysis and were originally suspected to have Guillain-Barre syndrome.

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