The rare and deadly mosquito-borne illness known as Eastern equine encephalitis was identified Tuesday in a New Hampshire adult who died from the virus, which has also been reported in Massachusetts and Vermont and provoked a public health response from officials, as mosquito season ramps up around the U.S.
EEE cases have been identified in Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire. (Photo by Jon ... [+]
The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services announced Tuesday a state resident tested positive for the virus, was hospitalized due to severe central nervous system disease and died from the illness, marking the state’s first recorded EEE case since 2014.
Two other cases of EEE were reported in Massachusetts and Vermont this month, with an 80-year-old Massachusetts resident becoming hospitalized and a Vermont resident spending one week in the hospital before recovering.
EEE is a rare but serious illness that kills approximately 30% of the people who contract it and can cause fever, headache, diarrhea, vomiting, behavioral changes and drowsiness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which notes survivors are prone to neurologic problems.
Freshwater hardwood swamps in Atlantic states, the Gulf Coast and the Great Lakes region are where EEE is most common, with outdoor recreational workers at increased risk of infection and people above the age of 50 and under the age of 15 at the greatest of developing a severe case.
There are no vaccines or medicines for the treatment of EEE, which is typically reported in an average of 11 Americans each year, according to the CDC, though only about four to five percent of human EEE virus infections result in eastern equine encephalitis.
State officials say parts of New Hampshire and Massachusetts face mosquito-borne illness risks, with seven Massachusetts communities—mostly small towns—at high or critical risk of EEE.
EEE has prompted officials in Massachusetts to encourage residents of some towns to stay indoors while mosquitoes are most active (dusk to dawn), forced parks and fields to close during the evening in Plymouth County and spray for mosquitoes in areas of Plymouth and Worcester County.
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The small but notable rise in EEE cases coincides with an uptick in cases of the West Nile virus, which has been reported in 289 people in the U.S. so far this year, according to the CDC, with the highest number of cases coming from Texas (41). West Nile virus symptoms include body aches, fever, rash and diarrhea. However, the virus is less lethal than EEE, as most people who contract it make full recoveries, with about 1 in 150 people developing serious symptoms. It is also believed infection from the disease can generate lifelong immunity, according to the CDC.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former director of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, is recovering from the West Nile virus after being hospitalized by the illness for six days. He is expected to make a full recovery.
Climate change is a large driver behind the increase in length of mosquito season in several states, as warmer temperatures make environments more suitable for mosquito development. Vermont, Maine, New Jersey and New Hampshire are some of the states where mosquito-suitable days have increased by just more than two weeks, according to The Washington Post. The CDC has increasingly urged people to take preventive measures against mosquitoes, as some of the illnesses that come from them, such as EEE and West Nile virus, do not have vaccines or treatments. People are encouraged to wear loose-fitting, long-sleeve shirts and pants, and use mosquito repellent to prevent bites, among other measures.
What To Know About West Nile As Officials Warn Against Deadly Disease At Start Of Mosquito Season (Forbes)