The town of Concord, Massachusetts, announced that they would spray two popular locations with pesticides on Thursday after mosquito sampling confirmed the presence of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE). These locations were Emerson Field at 90 Stow Street and Rideout Playground at 61 Laws Brook Road. Treatment was scheduled for after dusk.
There currently is no specific cure or antiviral treatment for EEE. The treatment for EEE is primarily supportive care, which focuses on managing symptoms and complications as the body fights off the infection. Eastern Equine Encephalitis is not a disease to be trifled with. The most severe cases of EEE require hospitalization, particularly when neurological symptoms like seizures, confusion, or coma occur. Patients may need to be admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) for close monitoring and management of complications.EEE transmission is typically seasonal, occurring most frequently when mosquitoes are active from late spring through early fall. However, in warmer climates, the transmission season may extend longer. In areas where the virus is present, outbreaks can occur periodically with high mosquito populations.
Like humans, horses can become infected with EEE after being bitten by an infected mosquito. The disease can be severe and often fatal in horses, leading to neurologic symptoms such as instability, head pressing, or seizures.
Other mammals, such as deer or dogs, may occasionally be infected, though they are not primary targets of the virus.
EEE does not occur through human-to-human transmission. According to the CDC, the virus cannot be spread through casual contact, respiratory droplets, or bodily fluids. At this time, the only known transmission method is through an infected mosquito’s bite. However, EEE was transmitted through organ transplantation involving one organ donor and three organ recipients.
Humans and other mammals, such as horses, are dead-end hosts for EEE, meaning that they can become infected by the virus through a mosquito bite but do not spread the virus further.
The EEE virus is mainly spread by mosquitoes, particularly species that thrive in freshwater swampy areas. The most common mosquito responsible for transmitting EEE to humans is Culiseta melanura, which primarily feeds on birds.
However, Aedes, Coquillettidia, and Culex mosquito species also transmit the virus to humans and other animals. These mosquitoes tend to bite both birds and mammals, making them essential “bridge” vectors between the bird and mammal populations.
In the Early Stage of Infection. The ELISA test is performed too early in the infection, as the body may not yet have produced enough detectable antibodies (IgM or IgG). In the acute phase of EEE, it may take a few days to a week for the immune system to produce sufficient antibodies to be detected by the test.
In some cases, as the infection progresses and the acute phase ends, IgM antibody levels decrease, which can lead to a negative result, especially if testing is delayed.
The ELISA tests may sometimes produce false positives or inconclusive results due to cross-reactivity with other flaviviruses or arboviruses (e.g., West Nile virus, Zika virus, or Dengue fever). False positives are more of an issue in regions where multiple mosquito-borne viruses are present, and the immune system’s antibodies against one virus might react with antigens from another. If you have any of these symptoms, contact your physician.
Story By Skeeter Wesinger
In a related case, Joe Casey of Kensington, New Hampshire, about five miles north of Amesbury, Massachusetts, tested positive for eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), West Nile virus, and St. Louis encephalitis. Casey has been hospitalized for several weeks with the illness affecting his brain and nervous system. All while doctors struggle to try to determine which virus is causing his debilitating symptoms.
https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/eee-map-massachusetts-towns-mosquitoes/
https://www.cdc.gov/eastern-equine-encephalitis/cause-and-spread/index.html
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/eastern-equine-encephalitis-skeeter-wesinger-gfyyc