What to know about the mosquito-borne virus EEE

Article content

One person has died and some communities are restricting activities as eastern equine encephalitis, or EEE, circulates in the northeastern United States. The mosquito-borne disease is rare but serious, with about 30 percent of people who contract severe EEE dying and others developing neurological issues.

Article content

Here’s what to know.

What is EEE?

Eastern equine encephalitis is spread by bites from infected mosquitoes. The disease can cause brain inflammation and may impair a person’s neurological and nerve functions.

A few cases are reported in the United States each year, usually in eastern or Gulf Coast states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. EEE is most common from late spring through early fall and near bodies of water.

Eastern equine encephalitis got its name because it was first detected in horses.

How do you get EEE?

EEE typically circulates between mosquitoes and birds usually found in freshwater hardwood swamps. People who live or work near wetlands, swamps or wooded areas and spend a lot of time outdoors are at a greater risk of contracting EEE, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Article content

Article content

The infection most often affects children under 15 and adults over 50. People with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, organ transplant recipients and diabetics, may experience severe symptoms.

As mosquito season has gotten longer in much of the contiguous United States due to climate change, scientists have expressed concern that the risk of mosquito-borne infections like EEE could grow.

What are the symptoms?

While many people have no symptoms, signs of the less severe form of EEE may include chills, fever, joint pain and muscle pain. This form of the disease, known as febrile illness, typically lasts one to two weeks, and most people recover fully.

A severe infection, or neurological disease, could be marked by confusion, diarrhea, drowsiness, headaches, high fever, seizures, loss of appetite and vomiting. Many people who recover from serious infections have long-term physical or mental problems.

Article content

Symptoms often appear four to 10 days after the bite from an infected mosquito.

Where have cases of EEE recently been reported?

There have been at least six cases of EEE in humans so far this year, with infections confirmed in Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Wisconsin.

One person, a resident of Hampstead, N.H., whose age and gender have not been made public, has died. In Massachusetts, where health officials said several communities are at elevated risk of EEE, some towns are closing parks after dusk, restricting outdoor activities and rescheduling public events.

There were seven cases of EEE in humans last year – far fewer than in 2019, when 38 cases were recorded.

Is there a cure or vaccine?

Article content

No, there are no vaccines against EEE in humans or medicines to treat it.

What should you do if you think you have EEE?

EEE symptoms may resemble those of the flu and there’s no specific test for the virus, so talk to your health-care provider if you were recently bitten by a mosquito and have symptoms, or if you have a weakened immune system.

Rest, fluids and over-the-counter pain medicines may help relieve symptoms, the CDC says, but patients with severe infections may require hospitalization.

How can you avoid getting EEE?

The advice for preventing an eastern equine encephalitis infection is the same as that for other mosquito-borne illnesses, such as the West Nile virus: Avoid getting bitten. Specific suggestions include using mosquito repellent, wearing clothes that cover your skin, such as long-sleeved shirts and long pants, and rescheduling outdoor activities to avoid the hours between dusk and dawn.

Article content

While certain essential oils may protect against mosquitoes, there has not been enough research into protection times and safe and effective concentrations for use on skin. Ultrasonic or wearable devices do not usually repel mosquitoes.

Make sure your window screens are in good condition and have a proper seal, and regularly check around your home for standing water, debris or empty containers where mosquitoes could breed.

Massachusetts officials are conducting mosquito-control spraying in some counties this week to target insects carrying eastern equine encephalitis.

EEE probably can be transmitted through blood transfusions, so people recently diagnosed with eastern equine encephalitis can help prevent it from spreading further by not donating blood for four months following their illness.

Article content