What is the incubation period for West Nile Virus after a mosquito bite?

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Multiple Choice

What is the incubation period for West Nile Virus after a mosquito bite?

Incubation period is the time from the mosquito bite to when symptoms may appear. For West Nile virus, the typical window after a bite is about 2 to 15 days, with most people developing symptoms within a week or two. This range best captures the variability seen in real cases, making it the correct choice. Shorter periods like 1–3 days don’t cover many presentations, while a single longer value such as 21 days isn’t supported by how the virus behaves, and a narrow 5–7 day window misses many cases.

Incubation period is the time from the mosquito bite to when symptoms may appear. For West Nile virus, the typical window after a bite is about 2 to 15 days, with most people developing symptoms within a week or two. This range best captures the variability seen in real cases, making it the correct choice. Shorter periods like 1–3 days don’t cover many presentations, while a single longer value such as 21 days isn’t supported by how the virus behaves, and a narrow 5–7 day window misses many cases.

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