Diane Ebbitt, an active member of the Citrus Heights community recently learned that the “fight the bite” campaign is very real as it battles to educate the public about a very real adversary, West Nile Virus.

In August Ebbitt, 58, the Police Activity League (PAL) Coordinator, began her saga with West Nile Virus as she spent four days in the hospital near death after contracting West Nile Virus from a mosquito bite, possibly at her four-acre home in Orangevale.

She and her husband, Ray Riehle have animals on their land, including the wild geese which they like to feed. For several days before she became ill they had been outside just before dusk with the geese. They had a small pool of water for them but did keep it clean. Ebbitt, being used to the mosquitoes around her, had never covered up with a repellant

Ebbitt remembers getting 4 smaller bites and 1 larger one, but cannot pin down when she might have suffered the guilty bite. She knew the mosquitos were around, but she would just go inside when she began getting bit. She said it is the tiniest, basic household mosquito. “There is just no way to know”

When Ebbitt did begin to feel ill, it was just the flu-like symptoms. But as time went by she got a headache, was becoming disoriented and was losing her cognitive functioning. If she had not gotten to the doctor when she was told she could have got into a coma and been permanently paralyzed. She did suffer some paralysis in her right leg but is using a walker and going to physical and water therapy.

By the time Ebbitt had arrived at the appointment she made on August 25, she was experiencing more of the symptoms. In the process she had also contracted bacterial and viral meningitis with caused pain in her whole body. Medication cannot be given for viral meningitis, but she could get antibiotics to help with the inflammation in her spine from the bacterial meningitis.

Since then Ebbitt has learned that 80 percent of people bitten by a West Nile carrying mosquito show no symptoms of the disease and the other 20 percent only experience mild flu-like symptoms. She also learned since she became ill that she is one of the one percent of patients who contract the type of virus that goes to the brain. She had developed Encephalitis which causes a serious inflammation of the brain and can lead to paralysis.

“It really knocked me down” she said. Upon arriving home from the hospital she slept for two weeks to four weeks. Riehle’s parents came to help her as she was basically helpless and in a lot of pain. She moved down to the first floor to avoid using the stairs.

However, because she works out, is in good shape and healthy and got to the hospital on time Ebbitt’s doctor is hopeful for full recovery, which could take up to one year. She is doing the physical and water therapy and will follow up with her doctor in December to see if lesions on spine have healed.

Ebbitt was told there is a man who lives off of Wachtel, where Ebbitt lives who has also contracted the virus.

According to Luz Maria Robles with the Mosquito and Vector Control District, to date this year there are 18 confirmed human cases of West Nile Virus in Sacramento County, compared to only 4 in 2015.

Ebbitt’s message to everyone to spare them from her ordeal: “When you’re outside and there are mosquitoes around, wear repellant”! She is speaking to groups to spread the word: “Fight the Bite”. She can be contacted at 916-727-4820.