Two weeks after a Vermont man was hospitalized for Eastern equine encephalitis, a New Hampshire person has died of the mosquito-borne virus.
Vermont State Health Department officials on August 9 announced the first human case of Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) in Vermont since 2012. EEE is a rare but serious disease caused by a virus spread to people through the bite of an infected mosquito.
The case, a male in his 40s from Chittenden County, was hospitalized on July 16, but left the hospital a week later. The case was detected through laboratory testing and reporting by the health care provider. The Health Department coordinated specimen submission to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and received confirmatory results on Aug. 8. To protect patient confidentiality, the Health Department did not release individual personal health information.
Additionally, mosquitoes collected last week from Colchester and Alburgh tested positive for EEE virus on Aug. 8. Mosquitoes collected from Alburgh and Swanton previously tested positive for EEE virus on July 22.
The New Hampshire Department of Health officials on August 27 announced an adult from Hampstead, New Hampshire tested positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus (EEEV) infection, was hospitalized due to severe central nervous system disease, and has passed away due to their illness.
EEEV is a rare but serious disease transmitted to people by infected mosquitos. The last reported human EEEV infection in New Hampshire was in 2014, when DHHS identified three human infections, including two fatalities. In addition to the person with EEEV infection announced today, EEEV has been detected in one horse and seven mosquito batches in New Hampshire so far this summer. EEEV has also been detected in neighboring states, including in Massachusetts (one person, one horse, and 69 mosquito samples) and Vermont (one person and 47 mosquito samples).
“In New Hampshire, mosquitos transmit infections including Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus, West Nile Virus, and Jamestown Canyon Virus,” said State Epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan. “We believe there is an elevated risk for EEEV infections this year in New England given the positive mosquito samples identified. The risk will continue into the fall until there is a hard frost that kills the mosquitos. Everybody should take steps to prevent mosquito bites when they are outdoors.”
EEEV can cause flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, muscle aches, and joint pain. EEEV can also cause severe neurological disease, such as inflammation of the brain and membranes around the spinal cord (i.e. encephalitis and meningitis). Approximately one-third of all people who develop encephalitis from EEEV die from their infection, and many others experience life-long physical or mental impacts. There is no vaccine or antiviral treatment for EEEV.
To prevent EEEV infection and prevent mosquito bites, use effective mosquito repellents, wear long sleeves and pants when outside, and avoid outdoor activities in the early morning and evening hours when mosquitos are most active. It is also important for residents to remove standing water from around their homes to reduce mosquito populations and ensure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens without holes.
Sourced from Vermont and New Hampshire Dept. of Health press statements