Incubation Periods of Mosquito-Borne Viral Infections: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Abstract. Mosquito-borne viruses are a major public health threat, but their incubation periods are typically uncited, non-specific, and not based on data. We systematically review the published literature on six mosquito-borne viruses selected for their public health importance: chikungunya, dengue, Japanese encephalitis, Rift Valley fever, West Nile, and yellow fever viruses. For each, we identify the literature's consensus on the incubation period, evaluate the evidence for this consensus, and provide detailed estimates of the incubation period and distribution based on published experimental and observational data. We abstract original data as doubly interval-censored observations. Assuming a log-normal distribution, we estimate the median incubation period, dispersion, 25th and 75th percentiles by maximum likelihood. We include bootstrapped 95% confidence intervals for each estimate. For West Nile and yellow fever viruses, we also estimate the 5th and 95th percentiles of their incubation periods.

First Case of Zika Virus Infection in a Returning Canadian Traveler

“…8 On the basis of the significant mosquito exposure of the patient in early February and onset of illness with fever and chills on February 6, the incubation period would be consistent with the reported range. The appearance of a rash on her fifth day of illness corresponds to the viremic phase, which is detectable by the gel-based assay, and her immune response to infection.…”

Zika Virus, Congenital Infection, and Neurologic Manifestations in Children: A Narrative Review

“…This group of patients is regarded as a main source of infection transmission to others (11). The incubation period of ZIKV is 2 -14 days, similar to other mosquito-borne Flavivirus infections (25). The majority of children, who are infected with ZIKV through mosquito bites, remain asymptomatic or have a mild disease, similar to ZIKV-infected adults (26).…”

“…However, the literature search indicated 2 cases of death in a 15-year-old girl with sickle-cell anemia and a 16-year-old female with signs such as headache, nausea, and petechiae. In general, clinical symptoms of ZIKV infection include headache, fever, chills, pharyngitis, lymphadenopathy, maculopapular rash, joint and muscle pain, and nonpurulent conjunctivitis (13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32).…”

Has dengue found its home in Hong Kong?

“…Clinically, dengue fever is typically a self-limiting condition with an incubation period ranging between 3 and 14 days. 8 Since most people infected with dengue virus have no or mild signs or symptoms, a significant proportion are never diagnosed or reported. 9 Consequently, estimation from the size and distribution of actively infected people can hardly reflect dengue epidemiology.…”