What killed ancient conqueror Alexander the Great is still a mystery, pitting scientists who favor West Nile virus against those who lean toward a death from typhoid. History says Alexander, king of Macedonia, died at 32 in 323 BC after several days of fever in Babylon. However, the cause of the fever was always unclear. Many hypotheses have been advanced: poisoning, malaria or cirrhosis of the liver, as well as typhoid or West Nile virus. The dispute resurfaced in the July issue of "Emerging Infectious Diseases," published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which published several arguments disputing the West Nile virus theory. In a December 2003 article in the same publication, two US scientists, John Marr, epidemiologist at the Virginia Department of Health, and Charles Calisher of Colorado State University, argued that Alexander's death as recounted by Greek biographer Plutarch centuries later showed that he had encephalitis from West Nile virus. The virus infects wild birds but can be transmitted to humans by infected mosquitoes. The infection generally goes undetected or has influenza-like symptoms.

In some cases, the disease becomes complicated by a menengoencephalitis. Marr and Calisher lean on Plutarch's account of the deaths of a flock of ravens as Alexander entered Babylon. David Oldach, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, said Plutarch never meant to write a history, and Marr and Calisher were "perhaps unaware of the magnitude of Plutarch's obsession with avian auguries." Six years ago, Oldach wrote that Alexander died of typhoid - based on symptoms described by Plutarch.

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Kinda weird they'd consider west Nile, since it not really a "deadly disease"

I can't remeber the exact statistic but more people die from the flu than from West Nile Virus. I think Alexander dying from West Nile is a stretch to say the least. I will try and find those stats. (no luck yet)

We may never know how Alexander the Great died, but one thing is for sure is that we know he did died.

The only way to be sure is to uncover his remains and do DNA testing and stuff

I watched a doco on this.
West Nile fever was given as a possible cause, due to the written records saying the birds fell from the sky while he and his army were travelling...but it was discounted as no one else got any symptoms, or was sick like Alexander.
the other theory was that becuase of the life he lived, he basically drank himself into an early "old age" where his liver and other organs were shutting down. the physician was giving him doses of some herb (I can not remember the name), which was a common remedy given in small doses, but deadly given in large. while he wasnt given any large doses, continued use of the herb built up in his system, and he was eventually unwittingly poisoned.
it was believed the fever was due to his already failing health from constant drinking. (he was an alcoholic, which wasnt unnormal at the time, they all liked to drink)