Did you know that 80-percent of people bitten by a West Nile virus-carrying mosquito show no symptoms of the disease? The remaining 20-percent usually only experience mild flu-like symptoms—such as chills, fever, headache, muscle weakness, nausea, and vomiting—which disappear within a few days’ time.
Less than 1-percent of those bitten by a mosquito with West Nile virus (WNV) develop West Nile encephalitis, a serious inflammation of the brain and surrounding tissues, which can last several weeks and cause paralyzing neurological effects, such as the following…
1. Swollen Glands
Swollen lymph glands, especially the pea-sized oval glands in the neck, often result as a normal immune system response to an infection such as WNV. The glands will swell in response to the body attempting to ward off the infection. If you have a fever from the virus, your glands may swell, but this symptom does not occur for everyone who has a fever. Depending on the severity of the virus and accompanying fever, you may or may not be able to see the swelling in your neck that are swollen lymph glands.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 20-percent of people infected with the WNV will develop West Nile fever, so your chances of swollen glands are relatively low, as not all cases result in swollen glands. There are many other viruses and infections that can cause swollen glands, because it’s your body’s natural response to fight against infections.