Emergency Department Presentations of West Nile Virus

The authors aimed to describe the initial presentations of patients diagnosed with West Nile virus in the emergency department during a significant outbreak in Maricopa County, Arizona, and to assess the frequency of missed diagnoses. They found that emergency physicians did not initiate testing for West Nile virus in 57.1% of cases, particularly in older patients presenting with less typical symptoms like generalized weakness. The study highlights the need for increased vigilance among emergency physicians for atypical presentations during outbreaks to prevent delayed diagnoses.