People who engage in outdoor work and recreational activities in endemic areas are at increased risk of infection. Persons over age 50 and under age 15 seem to be at greatest risk for developing severe disease when infected with EEE. EEE infection is thought to confer life-long immunity against re-infection.
EEE has been reported in animals and people throughout the state. EEE is most commonly found in swamp and bog habitats. All residents of and visitors to areas where EEE activity has been identified are at risk of infection. No symptoms in many people. Most people who become infected with EEE do not develop any symptoms. Febrile illness in some people. Some people who are infected will develop chills, fever, weakness, muscle and joint pain. The illness may last up to two weeks.
Most people with this type of EEE disease recover completely, but fatigue and weakness can last for weeks or months. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. Eastern Equine Encephalitis. Minus Related Pages. Photo courtesy of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. Eastern equine encephalitis EEE , also known as sleeping sickness, is a viral disease that causes inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. Wild birds are a natural reservoir for EEE virus, and mosquitoes that feed on these birds can transmit the virus to mammals, including horses and humans.
Cases are most commonly seen in the southeastern United States, with the mosquito Culiseta melanura as the primary vector although other species of mosquito can also transmit the virus. Infected horses and humans do not have enough virus in their blood to be contagious to other animals or people. As such, infected individuals do not need to be quarantined.
The disease has a high mortality rate in horses and humans, and, as such, is considered one of the most serious mosquito-borne diseases in the United States. The clinical signs of EEE often come on abruptly. After a EEE-infected mosquito bite, people usually begin to experience symptoms within 4 to 10 days. Some people may experience flu-like symptoms like fever, chills, lack of energy, and body aches. After about one or two weeks, the symptoms resolve on their own without the need for medical attention.
Signs of a serious infection that can lead to encephalitis include vomiting, seizures, drowsiness, behavioral changes, and coma. Detecting the EEE virus requires highly specialized lab equipment. However, only the CDC can give an official diagnosis after additional testing in its labs. Sometimes weeks can pass between the onset of symptoms and a final diagnosis, Dr.
During the season, the team caught EEE-infected mosquitoes in 28 towns throughout the state. Most were from the southeastern region near the Massachusetts border, which is consistent with previous years, he says.
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