Aedes aegypti, the primary mosquito that carries Zika virus, might also transmit chikungunya and dengue viruses with one bite.
A mosquito could give you multiple viruses at once. Scientists infected mosquitoes in the lab with multiple kinds of viruses to learn more about the transmission of more than one infection from a single mosquito bite.
Three viruses in one mosquito
Chikungunya, dengue and Zika viruses are transmitted to humans by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which live in tropical, subtropical, and in some temperate climates.
As the viruses continue to emerge into new regions, the likelihood of coinfection by multiple viruses may be increasing. At the same time, the frequency of coinfection and its clinical and epidemiologic implications are poorly understood.
Dengue and chikungunya virus symptoms are similar to an infection with Zika virus, and can also include joint and bone pain, nose or gum bleeding and bruising.