Dr. Anthony Fauci was recently hospitalized after contracting the West Nile virus (WNV), a spokesperson confirmed.
The 83-year-old former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) was hospitalized for six days but has since returned home and is expected to make a full recovery.
The West Nile virus, which entered the U.S. in 1999, is now the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The virus is primarily spread through the bite of an infected mosquito, typically from the Culex species, which contract the virus from feeding on infected birds.
While many people infected with WNV do not exhibit symptoms, some may experience fever, headaches, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea, or rash. There are currently no vaccines or specific treatments for the virus.
Last year, more than 1,800 people in the U.S. were hospitalized due to WNV, with 182 fatalities reported, according to CDC data.
