10 Zika Virus Symptoms

By nigel

Reviewed: Dr. Mera

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You’ve probably heard a lot about malaria, but that’s not the only pathogen that mosquitos can carry. The Zika virus is another condition that can be spread from person to person by mosquito bites. The Aedes mosquito is the one that can carry this disease, and it’s also the one that carries dengue and chikungunya, two other dangerous viruses. The Aedes mosquito is also considered more dangerous than the average mosquito because they’re active all day long instead of just during the day.

There are a few subspecies of this type of mosquito that can carry the virus. The Asian tiger mosquito and the yellow fever mosquito have affected people in Africa, Asia, the Pacific Islands, and South and Central America. The Zika virus sometimes doesn’t cause any symptoms. If it does, they can be rather mild. However, if the condition is left untreated, complications can arise which can be devastating. If you are pregnant and contract Zika you should immediately seek help.

Symptom #1: Fever

Fevers are a condition in which the body’s internal temperature rises. Fevers are often accompanied by uncomfortable warmth or chills, sweats, and internal discomfort. Fevers are one of the body’s many responses when it’s trying to fight off a pathogen.

One of the reasons that fevers occur is because many viruses have a harder time multiplying in warm environments. By raising the temperature of the body, the immune system helps to protect the body from all sorts of diseases.