West Nile virus is sweeping the United States this year. So far in 2012, 47 states have reported West Nile virus activity in mosquitoes, birds or people - all but Alaska, Hawaii and Vermont.

There have been a total of 1,118 human cases of West Nile virus reported, including 41 deaths. About 75 percent of all cases come from 5 states: Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, South Dakota, and Oklahoma. Dallas County, Texas has been hit especially hard. According to state health commissioner Dr. David Lakey, the county has had 270 cases of West Nile and 11 deaths. To put that in perspective, Dallas had only seen 10 total West Nile virus deaths from 2003 through 2011.

In this image, mosquitoes are sorted at the Dallas County mosquito lab in Dallas, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2012

(Source: futurenow321)