Two men tested positive for West Nile virus, making them the first human infections in Southern California this year, Xinhua quoted health officials as saying. The men, who live in Orange County near Los Angeles, recently donated blood and the virus showed up during a screening process, according to Orange County health officials. The patients, ages 23 and 41, were asymptomatic, meaning they never showed any symptoms of the disease, the officials said. "They're lucky," said Mike Hearst, Orange County Vector Control District communications director. "They're among the 80 percent who didn't even know they had it." Roughly 20 percent of people infected with West Nile virus show mild symptoms that may include fever, headache, body aches, nausea and vomiting. About one out of every 150 infected people will develop severe illness, with symptoms including convulsions, vision loss, numbness and paralysis. The symptoms can last for several weeks, with neurological effects that may be permanent. People over the age of 50 and those with certain medical conditions are at an increased risk of serious complications from an infection.
