A Mysteriously Chronic Malady

When the New York City Department of Health Asked Epidemiologists from the Cdc to Investigate a Cluster of Encephalitis Cases in 1999, Murray Was One of the First People on the Scene. a Member of the Cdc’s Elite Epidemic Intelligence Service (Eis), Her Job Was to Track Down the Source of the Outbreak. Murray’s Work, Along with a Team of Epidemiologists and Virologists, Uncovered West Nile Virus as the Culprit. Further Investigations Revealed That Those Encephalitis Cases Represented Only a Tiny Fraction of People Infected by the West Nile Virus. Most People Had No Symptoms at All, and Only 10% Developed Mild Flu-Like Symptoms.

While Murray Toiled over Her West Nile Data, Marc Lecuit Was Struggling Half a World Away in His Paris Lab to Understand a Different Mosquito-Borne Disease. on the French Protectorate of La Reunion in the Indian Ocean, an Outbreak of Chikungunya Had Swept Through in 2005 and 2006, Sickening More Than One-Third of the Island’s Inhabitants. Chikungunya Rarely Killed, Instead Causing Joint Pain So Severe Infected People Often Couldn’t Sit or Stand for Several Weeks. ( Chikungunya Is Derived from a Makonde Word Meaning “That Which Bends Over. ”) Similar to West Nile, the Virus Was Known to Scientists but Had Never Before Caused an Outbreak of This Magnitude.

Following the Data Trail

Murray Has Faced No Small Amount of Skepticism from Her Fellow Scientists That West Nile Could Create Chronic Problems. Other Viruses, Like Herpesvirus and Hepatitis C, Are Known for Their Ability to Remain in the Body for Decades, but Nothing in the Genomes of West Nile or Related Viruses Hinted at That Ability.

The Illness That Never Ends | Nova

By Chloe Bennett

• Oct 9, 2026 • 14 min read

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Chloe Bennett

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Chloe Bennett explores the intersection of pop culture, streaming entertainment, digital trends, and contemporary lifestyle. Her weekly commentary reaches thousands of culture enthusiasts.

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