An acute arboviral infection caused by a virus of the <i>Flaviviridae</i> family transmitted by an infected mosquito, and characterized by the onset of flulike symptoms such as fever, malaise, headache, cough, and sore throat that can progress to meningitis or encephalitis with symptoms like nausea, vomiting, confusion, stiff neck, disorientation, irritability, tremors, and convulsions. Photophobia, cranial nerve palsies, and even coma may occur.

Paralysis of voluntary muscles means loss of contraction due to interruption of one or more motor pathways from the brain to the muscle fibers. Although the word paralysis is often used interchangeably to mean either complete or partial loss of muscle strength, it is preferable to use paralysis or plegia for complete or severe loss of muscle strength, and paresis for partial or slight loss. Motor paralysis results from deficits of the upper motor neurons (corticospinal, corticobulbar, or subcorticospinal). Motor paralysis is often accompanied by an impairment in the facility of movement.