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Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former top U.S. infectious disease expert, spent time in the hospital after contracting West Nile virus and is now recovering at home, a spokesman confirmed Saturday.

The spokesman said Fauci is expected to make a full recovery, but he asked not to be identified for security reasons.

West Nile virus is often spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. Although most people do not experience symptoms, about 1 in 5 may develop fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea or a rash, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 1 in 150 infected people develops a serious, sometimes fatal, illness.

CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jonathan LaPook wrote in a social media post that he spoke with Fauci on Saturday and said the infection likely came from a mosquito bite he sustained in his backyard.

“Dr. Fauci was hospitalized approximately 10 days ago after developing fever, chills, and severe fatigue,” the X post said. It said Fauci spent a week in the hospital.

As the White House’s chief medical adviser, Fauci was the public face of the U.S. government during the COVID-19 pandemic, a role that made him both a trusted voice to millions and a target of partisan ire. He left the administration in 2022 but returned before Congress in June to testify as part of the Republicans’ years-long investigation into the origins of COVID-19 and the U.S. response to the disease.

Fauci joined Georgetown University last summer as a distinguished assistant professor.

There are no vaccines to prevent West Nile disease, or medications to treat it. As of August 20, the CDC has recorded 216 cases in 33 states this year. The best way to prevent it is to avoid mosquito bites.

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Thompson reported from Buffalo, NY