West Nile Virus
Signs & Symptoms
The majority of people infected with West Nile virus have no symptoms or only mild illness. Most individuals who have symptoms will experience “flu-like” illness, including:
- Fever
- Headache
- Body Aches
- Swollen Glands
- Muscle Weakness
Symptoms usually last for a few days or weeks. In some cases, West Nile virus can cause more serious conditions including
encephalitis (an inflammation of the brain) and
meningitis (an inflammation of the linings of the brain and spinal cord). Signs of more serious disease can include
- High Fever
- Headache
- Confusion
- Disorientation
- Seizures
- Coma
If you believe you may be infected with West Nile virus, please contact your healthcare provider.
Treatments
The chance of getting sick from West Nile Virus is low. Most people who are exposed to the West Nile virus do not have any symptoms, or have a mild illness that goes away on its own within a few days to a few weeks.
Less than one out of 150 people who become ill with West Nile Virus will develop a more serious form of the infection such as meningitis or encephalitis, which will require hospitalization. Treatment is mostly supportive care. Currently, there is no vaccine for humans.
Vaccines are available for horses. People are encouraged to vaccinate their horses. Pet birds should be kept indoors to limit mosquito exposure. Other livestock and pets are rarely affected by the West Nile virus. If you have questions or concerns about your livestock, please consult your veterinarian.
Zika Virus
For more information about Zika
Zika is a virus spread by the bite of an infected mosquito — Aedes spp — which is the same mosquito that can spread dengue and chikungunya.
Symptoms usually start 2–7 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito.
Zika can cause:
| - high fever |
- joint pain |
| - rash |
- red/swollen eyes |
It is typically a mild illness and symptoms usually only last a few days to a week.
Only about one in five people infected with Zika will feel sick. Zika doesn’t usually require hospitalization.
Zika is circulating in several countries and territories in the Americas, including Central America, South America, the Caribbean, and Mexico. It was first identified in May 2015 in Brazil.
An increased number of microcephaly, or smaller than expected head size, and fetal losses have been identified in babies born to mothers who were infected with Zika while pregnant. Babies with microcephaly often have smaller brains that might not have developed properly.
There is no vaccine to prevent or medicine to treat Zika.
Additional Zika Resources
Zika Infographic ( JPG | PDF )
Aedes Aegypti Mosquito Infographic ( JPG | PDF )
Mosquito Breeding Infographic ( JPG | PDF )
CDC Fact Sheet: Zika and Sex PDF
Dengue Fever
Currently Arizona has positive cases of Dengue that are related to travel to endemic countries. Dengue can present initially with:
| - high fever |
- muscle pain |
| - joint pain (typically in hands and feet) |
- nausea |
| - rash |
- vomiting |
| - headache |
|
If you or a family member are experiencing symptoms like those listed above and you have traveled out of the country, you should contact your healthcare provider. There is currently no vaccine or medicine used to cure Dengue.
Transmission
- Does not spread human to human
- Unaffected person can be bit by an infected mosquito (of the aedes species) but not everyone who is bitten by an infected mosquito will develop the disease.
Chikungunya Virus
Currently Arizona has positive cases of Chikungunya that are related to travel to endemic countries. Chikungunya can present initially with:
| - high fever |
- muscle pain |
| - joint pain (typically in hands and feet) |
- nausea |
| - rash |
- vomiting |
| - headache |
|
If you or a family member are experiencing symptoms like those listed above and you have traveled out of the country, you should contact your healthcare provider. There is currently no vaccine or medicine used to cure Chikungunya.
Transmission
- Does not spread human to human
- Unaffected person can be bit by an infected mosquito (of the aedes species), but not everyone who is bitten by an infected mosquito will develop the disease.