Testing available for West Nile virus

Recent news of the spread of the West Nile virus is keeping Laura Webber busy restocking the shelves at Breed & Company.

She said people have been coming by trying to protect themselves and their loved ones from mosquitoes and buying up repellant.

"I think people are concerned, like older people or people that are not in the best of health or even small children -- you want to protect your children," said Webber, who works at Breed & Company in Austin.

• City of Austin rodent control information
• Austin map of mosquito activity

Staff at Seton Hospital have also noticed a spike in concerned patients. Dr. Christopher Ziebell said it's easy for people to get concerned as West Nile symptoms are very similar to the flu.

"Of the people who get symptoms the vast majority of those get a simple viral flu like illness" said Ziebell. "Low-grade, fever body aches, muscle aches, tension that sort of stuff, runs its course over a few days or a week. Then, it goes away."

But for those who have to know for sure their symptoms are nothing more than a flu there's a blood test. Labs like Any Labs Tests Now in North Austin have had a rush of customers in the last few days willing to dole out $119 to test themselves for the West Nile antibodies.

"Once the customer walks in they'll get a quick blood draw," said Sarah Toney, owner at Any Lab Tests Now . "We will send out the specimen to the laboratory and results will come back in about two to seven days."

There's no way avoid the virus completely. The best chance you have it to stay indoors. As one Austin homeowner said, he hasn't been out in his backyard in weeks during sunset because the mosquitoes are so bad.