A man from southeastern North Dakota died from the West Nile virus and other medical complications, the North Dakota Department of Health reported Wednesday.

"Our prayers go out to the family of the person who has died," said Dr. Craig Lambrecht, state chief field medical officer.

The man, who was 60 or older, had been hospitalized. The department would not say when the man died or was hospitalized, except that it was recently.

It is the first death of the year from West Nile virus. The health department runs a surveillance program for the virus from June until after the first hard freeze. To date, the state has 25 confirmed cases of West Nile in humans this year, West Nile virus surveillance coordinator Michelle Feist said.

The confirmed cases are ahead of previous years, but it coincides with a mosquito population that is larger than usual for this time of year, she said.

"We're ahead, but it may not be a sign of what's ahead," Feist said in an interview earlier this month.

The state started tracking West Nile in 2002. The peak of human illness tends to fall in August. In 2006, it was the week ending Aug. 5; in 2005, it was the week ending Aug. 27; in 2004, it was the week ending Aug. 6; in 2003, it was the week ending Aug. 30; and in 2002, it was the week ending Sept. 8.

Last year, there was one death in North Dakota. The highest number of deaths in one year from West Nile was 2003. That year, five of the 617 positive cases of West Nile were fatal. It also was the peak number of cases of West Nile since the state started tracking the virus.

Health department officials urged citizens to take precautions to prevent getting bitten by mosquitoes and to keep yards maintained so that they harbor fewer mosquitoes.

"Many of these illnesses can be prevented," said Tracy Miller, West Nile virus program manager.

Mosquito repellent with DEET, wearing long sleeves, and staying inside at dawn and dusk are some of the precautions to keep from being bitten.

"We don't want you out at dawn or dusk, and with the heat, we want you to curtail your activity during the day," Lambrecht said. "We're cognizant that we're sending a mixed message."

Hot weather also can create health problems, prompting recommendations not to go outside during the heat of the day, which conflicts with recommendations to stay inside at dawn and dusk. The symptoms of West Nile mimic the symptoms of other illnesses, including heat exhaustion, Lambrecht said.

Emergency room doctors, like Dr. Gordon Leingang at St. Alexius Medical Center, see patients coming in with a variety of illnesses that have similar West Nile symptoms.

"This time of the year, we see a lot of viral illnesses, and it is the season for West Nile virus," Leingang said. "The majority do not have West Nile virus."

The symptoms of West Nile are fever, headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting and a rash. The symptoms come on suddenly, but not immediately after being bitten by mosquitoes. The virus builds up in the body first before symptoms occur, said Dr. Kent Martin, Medcenter One infectious disease physician.

But, not everyone who gets the disease shows symptoms.

"Most of them do not realize they have it," he said. "They felt nauseous or weak."

About 80 percent of people will not show symptoms, and about 20 percent will have mild symptoms. Very few people have serious symptoms that can include neurological effects or the encephalitis or meningitis form of the virus.

If a person gets the virus, there is no treatment, Leingang said. People most likely to show symptoms are outdoors for long periods of time, like athletes, Leingang said. This is because they get bitten by mosquitoes multiple times.

West Nile is transferred to humans through mosquitoes only. The mosquitoes get it by feeding on infected birds. The department of health tracks dead birds and uses sentinel birds to track where West Nile virus is in the state. If there are positive birds, it is likely the mosquitoes are carrying it.

Bismarck tests dead birds until finding a positive reading.

"As soon as we have a positive, we discontinue testing," said Colleen Peterson, city of Bismarck regional environmental health specialist.

The city provides mosquito control with larvicide and fogging and counts mosquitoes.

"Our counts are up due to the wet conditions," Peterson said.

Through the week ending July 16, the 10 traps in Bismarck and one trap in Mandan have caught 29,231 mosquitoes, including 4,919 culex tarsalis. The traps include the two state-run traps.

The state is primarily interested in culex tarsalis, the mosquito mostly responsible for transmitting West Nile.

Warm weather speeds up the breeding time for mosquitoes, which is normally about five days for the culex tarsalis. They like small, stagnant pools of water, Feist said.

Around the home, she recommends getting rid of water in flower pots, and changing out the water in bird baths and dog bowls.

The city keeps grass and weeds cut in public areas and puts larvicide in waterways on golf courses and parks. It is active for 30 days. A fogger is used to control adult mosquitoes at golf courses, parks and walking trails about once a week or before a large gathering of people, Peterson said.

People can try similar measures in their homes, such as larvicides for ponds and bird baths and products to kill adult mosquitoes in the grass. These products are available at home improvement stores with the same type of chemicals that the city uses, but in lower concentrations, she said. The city is allowed to use higher concentrations because of certification through the Burleigh County Extension office.

(Reach reporter Sara Kincaid at 250-8251 or sara.kincaid@;bismarcktribune.com.)