SURVIVOR: PHILIPPINES Contestant Lisa Whelchel Reveals West Nile Virus Diagnosis

Lisa Whelchel, a former child star and recent contestant on the CBS reality series SURVIVOR: PHILIPPINES has revealed on Twitter that she is suffereing from West Nile Virus. The 49-year-old tweeted the news of her diagnosis yesterday, posting "Dr. just called with blood test results...I have West Nile. Ugh. I'm fine, just tired. Takes a year to recover."

The diagnosis is reportedly unrelated to her time on the harsh CBS reality series which ended production in April. Nearly 4,000 cases of the disease, whose symptoms include aching and fatique, have been diagnosed in the U.S. this year alone.

In response to an on-rush of well-wishes from her fans and supporters, the actress later tweeted, "expecting a full recovery."

The former TV teen star appeared on the long-running sitcom 'The Facts of Life.' Among the interesting facts included in her bio for 'Survivor' are:

Personal Claim to Fame: My three delightful and interesting children and the close friendship we enjoy.

Inspiration in Life: I admire and respect Oprah. She has used her fame and fortune to help people.

Hobbies: Reading, scrapbooking and traveling.

Pet Peeves: People who judge other people.

Three Words to Describe You: Quick-witted, sharp-minded and brave-hearted.

If You Could Have Three Things on The Island, What Would They Be and Why?

A Bible with giant print, because I don’t know if I would have my reading glasses.
A journal and a pen, because I have a terrible memory and I don’t want to forget a minute of this experience.
Playing cards, because I love to play games.
SURVIVOR Contestant You Are Most Like: Colby – I’m competitive, genuine and from Texas!

Reason for Being on SURVIVOR: I love the game and was born to play it. Plus, I want to meet Jeff Probst.

Why You Think You’ll “Survive” SURVIVOR: I am strong physically, intellectually and in will.

Why You Think You Will Be the Sole SURVIVOR: My inherent make up is to assess the big-picture goal, determine the steps to reach it, gain everything there is to learn about how to accomplish the goal, jump in with both feet, connect with other people’s strengths and never give up until the job is done.

Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS