A young woman develops a fever after a recent trip to a Caribbean island. She also experiences severe headache and pain "in the bones." After a few days, she also develops a rash. Which of the following did she most likely contract?

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The symptoms of fever, headache, bone pain, and rash are characteristic for dengue virus infection, which is transmitted by mosquitoes and is commonly found in tropical and subtropical regions, including the Caribbean. Yellow fever virus may also cause similar symptoms, but the rash typically appears later in the disease course, and the geographic distribution of the disease does not match the patient's travel history. Malaria may cause fever, headache, and body aches, but typically does not cause a rash, and the distribution of the disease in the Americas is limited. Toxoplasma and Chagas' disease are not commonly associated with the symptoms described, and are not transmitted by mosquitoes.

A Young Woman Develops a Fever After a Recent Trip