Skip to main content

Dr. Anthony Fauci Recovering at Home After Being Hospitalized With West Nile Virus

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Aug 26, 2024.

By Robin Foster HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Aug. 26, 2024 -- Dr. Anthony Fauci, who helped millions of Americans navigate the health challenges of the pandemic, is recovering at home after being hospitalized for a West Nile infection.

Fauci should make a full recovery, a spokesperson told the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity due to security concerns.

In a post on the social media platform X, Dr. Jonathan LaPook, chief medical correspondent for CBS News, said he spoke Saturday with Fauci, who believes he was likely infected from a mosquito bite that he got in his backyard.

“Dr. Fauci was hospitalized about ten days ago after developing fever, chills and severe fatigue,” the post said, adding that Fauci spent a week in the hospital.

There are no vaccines or medications for West Nile infection. As of Aug. 20, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had recorded 216 cases in 33 states this year.

West Nile virus is commonly spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. While most people don’t experience symptoms, about 1 in 5 can develop a fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea or rash, according to the CDC. Roughly 1 in 150 patients can develop a serious, sometimes fatal, illness.

Fauci first joined the U.S. National Institutes of Health in 1968 and rose to prominence within the agency during the 1980s AIDS crisis. As an HIV/AIDS researcher, Fauci conducted pivotal studies that formed the basis of medicine's current understanding of the disease and continue to inform the therapies used to treat and prevent AIDS.

Fauci became NIAID director in 1984, and advised every U.S. president on infectious disease emergencies from Ronald Reagan onward.

During the pandemic, Fauci was the public face of the U.S. government, serving as chief medical advisor to the White House. The role made him a hero to some and a villain to others.

He stepped down from that role in 2022, but joined the faculty at Georgetown University last summer as a distinguished professor.

Sources

  • Associated Press

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Posted August 2024

Further Support and Information on COVID-19

Read this next

Dengue Cases Mount in Los Angeles

THURSDAY, Sept. 19, 2024 -- The Los Angeles area is seeing a troubling increase in local dengue fever cases, health officials warned Wednesday. In a public notice posted on its...

What Is the EEE Mosquito-Borne Virus?

TUESDAY, Sept. 3, 2024 -- New England is on alert following one death and a handful of infections of eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus. A New Hampshire resident died after...

New Lyme Disease Test Could Deliver Results in 20 Minutes

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 28, 2024 -- An improved test for Lyme disease could provide accurate results within 20 minutes, researchers report. The test -- which resembles an AI-guided form...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.