What should you know about Zika, dengue, and chikungunya symptoms?

All three are viral illnesses that may follow mosquito bites and can bring fever, rash, headache, tiredness, and body aches. Joint pain can be prominent with chikungunya, while dengue may cause more severe illness in some people. Zika can occur without symptoms; when it causes illness, rash, red eyes, and joint discomfort may occur. These patterns overlap enough that symptoms alone cannot safely identify the virus.

Rest, drink fluids, avoid mosquito bites, and arrange assessment if symptoms start during or after travel in a place with mosquito-borne illness. Note your travel dates, the first day of symptoms, temperature readings if available, and medicines already taken. Until a clinician advises otherwise, avoid taking aspirin or anti-inflammatory pain medicines when dengue is a possibility, because they can increase bleeding concerns. Ask which option is suitable for fever and pain.

Get urgent medical help for severe abdominal pain, repeated vomiting, bleeding from the nose or gums, blood in vomit or stool, unusual drowsiness, fainting, breathing difficulty, or very little urine. These symptoms need prompt assessment regardless of which infection is suspected. Pregnant people, young children, older adults, and people with significant long-term conditions should contact a clinician early when fever or rash follows relevant travel.

Ask which infections fit your itinerary and symptoms, whether testing will change care, which pain medicines to avoid or use, and what warning signs should lead you to urgent care. Mention pregnancy, bleeding problems, and any medicines that affect bleeding.