If symptoms counted for anything, Dennis Daratany would be at the top of this year's growing list of Coloradans infected with West Nile virus.

"I'm hot, I'm cold, I'm freezin', I'm sweatin'. I feel like a train ran over me," groans the Fort Lupton electrician.

"But it seems the more I talk, the more nobody wants to listen."

Though he was diagnosed in May with the sometimes deadly, mosquito-borne virus, the 55-year-old Daratany isn't included in the count kept by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

He wants to know why.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the confirmed cases across the state stood at 52. This may well be the most active West Nile season since 2003, state epidemiologist John Pape says. What's more, northern Colorado, including Daratany's Fort Lupton, is on line to be hardest hit.

But state health officials say Daratany represents something of a medical anomaly.

The antibodies found in his blood suggest he may actually have an old case, perhaps going back to 2006, which can't be counted in this year's numbers.

He wasn't counted last year either, because he wasn't sick last year. Now Daratany worries that if Colorado has missed his confirmed case, who else is it missing?

And if the state doesn't accurately know the extent of the West Nile problem, how can officials adequately track where the cases are? And how can they warn people if it's reached their town?

"I don't want other other people going through what I'm going through," said Daratany, an affable ex-New Yorker who, despite his exhaustion, speaks in the rapid, rat-a-tat twang of his native Brooklyn. "I'm just trying to get the word out. The health department sure ain't doing it."

Most cases go unreported

State officials acknowledge they don't catch every case. There could well be others like him throughout Colorado. In fact, only about one-fourth of all West Nile cases get reported, Pape says.

It's not clear why Daratany wasn't included in the state's data - for privacy reasons, individual cases can't be discussed - but he said the exclusion isn't unique.

"I wouldn't be surprised if there were a lot of people like him," Pape said.

Still, Pape says he is confident the state's numbers are sufficient to get a handle on the disease.

"While we don't hear about every case, we hear about enough of them to see trends and patterns develop," he said.

July and August represent the peak season. Trends this year suggest that heat and rain are creating a perfect storm of mosquito activity, particularly in northern Colorado.

The bad may be offset by better protective measures - such as stepped-up spraying by communities as well as individuals - that are taking hold since the U.S. was surprised by West Nile in 1999.

But it is important to stay vigilant, Pape says, because once you contract West Nile, all bets are off.

"The take-home message here is, we have no way to predict whether you're going to have symptoms that last a couple of weeks, or will you be in ICU with encephalitis?"

West Nile virus, which sets up home in the neurological system, has proved to be an elusive and fickle guest. It may bring only passing, flulike discomfort, or ratchet up its presence with excruciating muscle pain and persistent exhaustion, as in Daratany's case. More rarely, it delivers a punch of paralysis, severe brain swelling or death.

Daratany's case is loaded with mysteries of its own.

Did the divorced father of three contract the virus last year in Greeley, while he was doing electrical work for a company from January to late June in wet and muddy fields?

Or did he cross paths with the viral varmint this spring as he worked in his lovingly kept flower and vegetable garden? Or perhaps when he was putting the finishing touches on his new redwood deck?

"We're sort of scratching our heads," said Martin McDermott, the physician who confirmed Daratany's case in May. "He was exposed to the virus, there's no question about that. But when did he get it and where did he get it? And why did it take him so long to get sick?"

Like every virus, West Nile is detected by the presence of antibodies in the blood. One kind of antibody is present when the infection is new, and another kind appears later, to provide long-term immunity.

Only the cases with the "new" antibody need to be reported to the state for that year's count. But Daratany's body has both antibodies, which makes it more difficult to determine when he was infected.

"These are the cases that fall between the cracks," McDermott said.

Symptoms are frustrating

Pape understands why someone might be frustrated at having a disease that isn't acknowledged by the state.

"Here you have this illness that's caused all this suffering - you want to have a name to put to your enemy," he said.

The disease has, indeed, become Darantany's enemy.

The once vigorous craftsman can't work as an electrician, and his usually bountiful garden is largely barren. He can't have unrelated disc surgery until the West Nile has receded. Meanwhile, he's spending down his savings.

He says he'll be glad if his story has helped alert people not to underestimate the West Nile virus.

He especially worries about the growing danger to his 80-year-old mother, Mary, with whom he lives. The virus is especially lethal to the elderly.

"Close the door," he shouts, as visitors enter. "Keep those mosquitoes out!"

In the meantime, Daratany is resigned to trying to survive a mystery that began when he fell ill in April.

"My heart knew I was sick," he said. "I was just hoping it was something curable."

How Colorado estimates the number of West Nile cases

For every person who contracts the most severe form of West Nile virus - life-threatening brain swelling called meningitis and encephalitis - state health officials estimate there are 140 others infected with the disease.

Of those 140 cases:

• 20 percent will become ill with symptoms.

• 80 percent won't get sick or have any symptoms at all.

As of Wednesday afternoon, nine Coloradans had contracted a severe "neuro-invasive" West Nile case. Multiplying nine by 140, health officials estimate that roughly 1,260 people are infected statewide - although the majority have no symptoms.Source: Colorado Department Of Public Health And Environment

The psychology of the numbers

Health officials know that people's perception of risk changes with the numbers.

"It's human nature that people perceive risk as higher the closer it is to them - if there's a West Nile case in the next town, they will perceive the risk as lower than if it's on their block," state epidemiologist John Pape said.

Risk is also perceived as higher as the number of cases goes up. But people should know that's just the perceived risk. The relative risk may be higher.

"We don't want to scare people, but the message right now is the risk is high and you should be avoiding mosquito bites," Pape said. "The rest of the numbers are window dressing."

Confronting the virus

• Symptoms: Fever, headache, body aches and occasionally skin rashes and swollen lymph nodes.

Severe cases may produce symptoms that include headache, high fever, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, muscle weakness or convulsions.

Persons with these symptoms need to seek medical attention immediately.

• Prevention: Mosquitoes, including the virus-carrying ones, lay up to 250 eggs at a time in standing water.

Check for items around the home that might trap water, like wheelbarrows, kiddie sand pails, bird baths, even odd items like discarded plastic wrap.

Be aware that mosquitoes are most active at dawn and dusk - so act accordingly. Wear insect repellent containing the chemical DEET and dress in long sleeves and pants.

Stock home fish ponds and ornamental streams with fish that eat mosquito larvae.

• For more information: Go to fightthebitecolorado.com

To get daily updates, county by county, on the location of the latest reported cases, go to cdphe.state.co.us and search for the West Nile home page.

torkelsonj@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5055

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