| Risk Factors Western equine encephalitis (WEE) is a virus
spread by a bite from an infected mosquito. While WEE is rare,
an infected person can become seriously ill and even die from
the virus. WEE is caused by being bitten by a mosquito that is
infected with the virus. Factors that may increase your risk of
WEE include: - Living in or visiting the plains regions of
western and central United States - Doing activities outdoors
and not using insect repellent Most people with WEE do not have
any symptoms. If symptoms do occur, they appear within 5-10 days
after infection and include: - Neck stiffness - Joint and muscle
pain WEE can lead to more serious, life-threatening symptoms
like inflammation of the brain (encephalitis), seizures, and .
These serious symptoms are more common in infants and older
adults. Copyright © Nucleus Medical Media, Inc. In addition to
taking your medical history and doing a physical exam, your
doctor will ask you: - What kind of symptoms you are
experiencing - Where you have been li