The most dangerous EEE virus in the USA: causes, symptoms and prevention

Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) is a viral disease that is transmitted to humans and horses through the bite of an infected mosquito. Insects become infected by the virus from birds.

Фото: Depositphotos

Most people who catch this virus may not show symptoms or resemble a mild flu. But, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), almost 5 percent of infected people can experience cerebral edema (encephalitis).

According to the CDC, in the United States, between the 2009 and the 2018, an average of seven cases of human EEE infection were recorded annually.

Although only a few deaths are recorded each year, according to the CDC, about 30 percent of people who develop severe EEE encephalitis experience persistent neurological problems after recovery.

As the name implies, eastern equine encephalitis occurs in the eastern United States, but the disease has been reported in the south (along the Gulf of Mexico), as well as in the Great Lakes region.

There are four variants of the virus worldwide, but only one is found in North America and the Caribbean. It is he who is most dangerous to people.

According to CDC three other species are found in Central and South America, mainly they are dangerous for horses.

In the United States, most infections have been reported east of the Mississippi River from July to September, says Dr. Brian Chow, an infectious diseases specialist at Tufts Medical Center in Boston.

Between 2009 and 2018, the largest number of EEE cases were in Florida, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, and Georgia.

According to the CDC, warming has increased the incidence of infection from late spring to early fall.

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What is dangerous eastern equine encephalitis

The EEE virus is transmitted through the bite of infected female mosquitoes. These mosquitoes are usually found in swamps and marshes, often parasitizing on birds.

Birds become reservoirs for the EEE virus and can become infected without signs of disease. Then they transmit the virus to mosquitoes, which spread it among horses and other mammals, including humans.

In horses, the virus was first detected in 1933. It was isolated five years later from the tissue of the central nervous system of a person in the year 1938.

Horses and humans have been found to be most susceptible to the virus.

As soon as the virus enters the body, it multiplies and spreads through the bloodstream. In rare cases, the virus crosses the blood-brain barrier and infects the brain, leading to brain swelling or encephalitis.

The EEE virus is not contagious. According to New York State Department of Health, it is not transmitted from person to person and does not spread from people to animals or from animals to people.

According to CDC statistics People older than 50 years and younger than 15 years are most at risk of developing severe EEE infection. People with weakened immune systems, for example due to cancer treatment or organ transplantation, are also at higher risk.

Symptoms

Symptoms of a mild form of infection may resemble flu with a sudden high fever, chills, and muscle and joint pain. The disease can last up to two weeks.

Severe EEE also begins with flu symptoms. But about four days after these symptoms appear, signs of a brain infection may appear. These symptoms may include confusion, excessive drowsiness, and severe headache. Complications often worsen, leading to convulsions, coma, and even death.

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EEE is one of the most serious mosquito-borne diseases in the United States. About one in three severely ill people dies from it, usually within 10 days after the first onset of symptoms, according to the CDC. But even those who survived this serious infection can remain with brain damage, mental disabilities, paralysis and personality disorders.

Diagnosis and treatment

Doctors can use the spinal cord to determine if the EEE virus is present in the human body. Other diagnostic tests, such as computed tomography or MRI of the brain, are also used to detect signs of inflammation. Be sure to study a blood test to detect a high level of antibodies, which are proteins produced by the immune system when it fights the virus.

Treatment of severe EEE usually involves staying in an intensive care unit, where the patient is placed in a ventilator for breathing problems and can be injected into a medical coma.

Medications are prescribed to treat seizures or reduce brain inflammation.

Once the virus enters the nervous system, neurological consequences often occur. Most EEE-related deaths are due to edema and pressure in the brain and spinal cord.

How to Avoid Eastern Equine Encephalitis

Mosquitoes have a limited range and usually fly just a mile or two from the breeding site, Chow said. States where EEE activity is observed usually monitor and test mosquito populations for the presence of the virus for a month, and I can spray insecticides in hot spots for infected mosquitoes.

Фото: Depositphotos

Spraying an insecticide helps reduce the threat of EEE, but does not eliminate the risk of disease. To protect themselves from mosquito bites, people should also take the following steps:

Use permethrin, an insecticide that can be sprayed onto clothing to protect against mosquitoes.

For safety, you should limit outdoor activities between dusk and dawn - this is the peak time for mosquitoes. During the most active mosquitoes, cover exposed parts of the body.

Get rid of stagnant water, which can become a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

Check the integrity of the guards on the windows and doors.

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