Rare But Life Threatening; We Need to Take EEE Seriously

It’s been a few years, but the Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus (EEE) is back in the news. 

West Nile Virus (WNV), another mosquito-borne illness, is also making headlines this summer. 

Seven WNV cases have been reported since July, the most recent a Middlesex County man in his 80s. 

But reports of the first human cases of EEE in four years, have captured state health officials’ attention and spurred preventative measures in more than a dozen Massachusetts communities.

Since August, there have been four human and two animal cases of EEE, prompting the Department of Public Health to raise the EEE risk level to high or critical in 16 towns and conduct mosquito spraying.   

Why EEE is a serious threat

EEE is a rare but deadly disease.  

Transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito, EEE can cause dangerous inflammation of the brain, leading to death in 30% of patients that contract it, and ongoing neurological problems in those that survive the disease.

During the last outbreaks in 2019 and 2020, there were 17 cases and 7 deaths, so we need to take EEE seriously.

Symptoms of the virus include fever, a stiff neck, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, drowsiness, and mental confusion and begin 4-10 days after a bite from an infected mosquito. 

People who have mosquito bites and are experiencing these symptoms should contact their primary care provider as soon as possible.

There is no vaccine to prevent EEE in humans and there are no anti-viral medications to treat the virus, which is why taking precautions to avoid mosquito bites is so important.

What you can do to protect against EEE and WNV

EEE is a serious life-threatening disease, but there are things you can do to prevent it. By avoiding mosquito bites, you can protect yourself from EEE. 

• Avoid outdoor activities between the hours of dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.
• Wear long sleeve shirts, pants and socks to keep mosquitoes away from your skin.
• Apply insect repellent with DEET when you plan to be outdoors.
• Mosquito-proof your home by removing standing water where the insects breed, and installing or repairing screens to keep bugs out.

What Massachusetts officials are doing to reduce the EEE risk 

In addition to raising the risk level to high or critical in and near communities where EEE exposure has been detected, the DPH and the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) began spraying for mosquitoes this week.

Truck-mounted spraying is underway in the Worcester County communities of Douglas, Dudley, Oxford, Sutton, and Uxbridge.

On the South Shore, aerial spraying began Aug. 27 in Carver, Halifax, Kingston, Middleborough, Plymouth, Plympton, Rochester, and Wareham. 

In Plymouth, where the EEE risk level is high, public parks and fields are currently closed from dusk until dawn and people are being encouraged to reschedule outdoor activities/sporting events or move them indoors during those hours.

For more information on EEE and WNV, including community risk levels, mosquito spraying, and prevention tips, visit the DPH website.

Todd Ellerin, MD is the Director of Infectious Disease at South Shore Health.