California Teen Hospitalized With Rare, Severe Case of West Nile Virus

A previously healthy California teen has been in the hospital fighting for his life over the last three weeks after contracting a severe case of the West Nile virus. Here is the latest on this concerning situation unfolding in Southern California.

California Teen Battling Severe Case of West Nile Virus

A 13-year-old from Long Beach has spent the last three weeks battling West Nile virus at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. Joseph Vazquez began to experience pain in his legs, a full-body rash, a low-grade fever, and headaches shortly after being bitten by a few mosquitoes. The teen's symptoms continued to worsen until he could no longer walk. Vazquez also came down with a stiff neck, severe stomach pain, and loss of bladder and bowel control.

It took some time for doctors to figure out what was making Vazquez so sick. He was originally diagnosed with transverse myelitis, a neurological disorder that happens when the spinal cord becomes inflamed.

After spending two days in the ICU on steroids, doctors were able to determine that Vazquez was suffering from West Nile virus. According to the family's GoFundMe page, "Joseph is facing challenges no 13-year-old should ever have to face." 

The rarity of West Nile makes it difficult for doctors to predict how Vazquez’s illness will progress. The uncertainty of what comes next prompted the family to set up a GoFundMe page to raise funds for his care. The boy's mother, Maria Salazar, is a widowed mother of three who has not been able to work as she remains at her son's side. This time away from work has created a major financial strain on the family.

The family wrote that they "never imagined that something that began with what seemed like minor symptoms could change Joseph’s life so quickly." The teen used to love playing soccer and watching the Dodgers, Lakers, and Raiders. Now the family is warning others to "Please take mosquito-borne illnesses seriously. Joseph’s experience has opened our family’s eyes to how quickly a mosquito-borne illness can become a serious medical emergency."

About West Nile Virus

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that West Nile virus is the top cause of mosquito-borne disease in the contiguous U.S. Over 1,300 people develop a severe illness from this virus each year in the country, with more than 130 dying from the impacts on the central nervous system.

There have been 987 cases of West Nile reported in 2026 in the U.S., including 211 in California. According to the CDC, about 20% of those infected with the virus go on to develop symptoms. Primary symptoms include body aches, headache, fever, joint pain, rash, vomiting, and diarrhea. There are no vaccines to prevent the virus, nor are there specific medications to treat the infection.

You can reduce your risk of contracting the virus by using insect repellent, wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants when spending time outdoors where mosquitoes are present, and by avoiding outdoor activities between dusk and dawn. West Nile is most common in states with warmer climates that are also prone to mosquitoes, such as California, Arizona, Texas, and portions of the Great Plains.

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