Various viruses spread by mosquitoes cause encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain. This can result in headaches, fever and fatigue, and in serious cases brain damage and even death. The image above is a colourised transmission electron micrograph (TEM) of a mosquito’s salivary gland filled with eastern equine encephalitis virions (in red). This virus affects eastern parts of the USA, infecting humans, horses and birds.
Fred Murphy and Sylvia Whitfield/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
