Deadly eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEE) detected in mosquitoes in Massachusetts: How to protect yourself

Tuesday, July 22, 2014
By Paul Martin

By Jim Algar
Tech Times
July 21,2014

Health officials in Massachusetts say the threat from a mosquito-borne illness, Eastern Equine Encephalitis, has increased with the discovery of mosquitoes testing positive for the virus.

The mosquitoes collected in Bridgewater, about 25 miles south of Boston, are the first ones to have tested positive for the EEE virus in the state this year, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported.

In response, the risk level for Bridgewater has been raised to moderate, health officials said.

The disease, transmitted to humans by infected mosquitoes, can be fatal, and one elderly Massachusetts woman died from the disease last year, officials said.

However, human cases of EEE are rare, with an average of just six cases in the United States reported each year.

“EEE is an annual occurrence in Massachusetts,” says DPH State Public Health Veterinarian Dr. Catherine Brown. “These were mammal-biting mosquitoes, and the findings should remind residents of the area to cover up and apply insect repellent when outdoors.”

Symptoms of the disease include a fever that can reach 106 degrees, headache, a stiff neck and fatigue, with the onset occurring about three to 10 days following the bite of an infected insect. More serious cases can bring on convulsions, coma and eventual death.

The mosquitoes that carry EEE can also be carriers of West Nile virus, officials said.

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