He beat cancer - but now he's having to relearn to walk after insect bite paralyzed him READ MORE: Father-of-four is fighting for life after getting bitten by a mosquito By Sadie Whitelocks For Dailymail.com Published: 15:04 EDT, 1 October 2024 | Updated: 15:04 EDT, 1 October 2024 e-mail View comments A cancer survivor from Texas is relearning how to walk after contracting a crippling mosquito-borne virus. Prospero Rangel, 78, was outside his home in Brazos County when he was bitten and immediately began feeling 'so itchy '.
Over the following days he began suffering body aches, joint pain, weakness and a fever before being admitted to hospital a week later. He was diagnosed with West Nile Virus, which is becoming more prevalent in the US due to the warming climate. However, Rangel is among the 1% of patients who develop a severe form of the virus, which swells part of the nervous system.
Prospero Rangel, pictured with his daughter Sara Salzer, was outside his home in Brazos County when he sustained two bites from a mosquito. He went on to contract Your browser does not support iframes. Read More SECOND US state issues stay-at-home orders because of deadly virus Long-term effects of a severe West Nile infection can include memory loss, hearing loss, muscle weakness and paralysis.
Rangel's daughter, Sara Salzer, told local news channel KBTX : 'We've been told that there are going to be some symptoms that are going to stay with him for a while. 'We were even told that he may ha.