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Ross River fever Mosquito bites and Ross River fever Ross River fever is a virus that infects humans and is caused by a female mosquito feeding on an infected animal, then feeding on a human’s blood. Some
people who are bitten by an infected mosquito may never develop any symptoms, but when they do, the first symptoms are flu like – fever, chills, headache, swollen and painful joints and muscles and blisters on the site of the bite. There is a general feeling of being unwell.
These symptoms can start to show from 1 to 3 weeks after being bitten. Most people make a full recovery from Ross River fever, although this recovery can take from a few weeks to a few years. In some instances recovery has taken many years. There is no specific treatment for Ross River fever, but plenty of rest seems to be the way to reduce the recovery period. Doctors can prescribe pain relief for aches and pains, and in severe cases, steroids are prescribed to relieve inflammation of the joints and muscles. A simple blood test can confirm the diagnosis.
Prevention – Try to avoid being outdoors and unprotected around dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active. Use an insect repellent that contains Diethyl Toluamide ( DEET) Summer and autumn months are when most infections peak.
I offer this advice through personal experience! Shortly after relocating to Woolgoolga in 1995, I suffered the symptoms described above. Not knowing what was wrong I went to the doctor. My legs were very badly blistered (see photo) my joints were inflamed and my muscles in spasms. The doctor injected me with steroids and told me to go to the hospital if I got any worse. By this stage I could barely walk and was in agony. The Doctor subsequently ordered all sorts of blood tests, including Lymes disease which is very similar, but surprisingly, not one for Ross River fever. I continued to get worse, so using the Internet, we found the name of a Doctor in Sydney who specialised in Tropical diseases. I arranged an appointment and flew down to see him. He ordered the Ross River fever blood test, and subsequently, it came back positive. My recovery was very slow, but has never been complete.
Once you have the virus, it never leaves your body, so every time I am bitten by a mosquito, even a healthy one, I get a severe reaction and joint pains. The moral of the story is – unprotected skin at dawn and dusk is a magnet for mosquitoes! If an infected one bites you – you could be in for a rough time.
(February 3rd) (
