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One of the most dangerous diseases but fortunately the rarest among mosquitoes has been spotted in Florida, officials said public health. According to a public notice released this month by the Florida Health Department in Orange County, the Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus (EEEV) would have been discovered in that state. The virus is capable of causing severe brain damage that can kill up to one-third of its human victims.
VEEE can be transmitted by several species of mosquitoes, including those living in the warmer regions of the United States. Although many people infected with EVSE do not develop flu-like symptoms, about 5% experience severe brain swelling (encephalitis). This swelling can lead to headaches, drowsiness, seizures and coma, with death occurring within two days of onset of symptoms. And even if you are lucky enough to survive this experience, you will probably still have a neurological disability for life.
The advantage is that EEEV seldom comes into contact with people. Its main vector species (the virus that spreads the disease) tends to live in swampy areas, far from cities. Humans – and ironically horses – are actually stuck for the virus because it does not replicate enough in our body for other mosquitoes to suck and maintain the chain of transmission. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are an average of seven cases of VEEE diagnosed each year in the United States. In 2018, there were only six cases.
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Still, Florida is one of the states where the EEEV is known to appear, with Mbadachusetts, New York and North Carolina. Health officials and US researchers often use henhouses as canary in coal mines to fight diseases caused by mosquitoes like EEV and West Nile virus, placing them in endemic areas where mosquitoes like to patronize and test their blood periodically. According to the Department of Health, the virus would have been detected in these so-called "sentinel" birds.
"Several sentinel chickens in the same flock were tested positive for infection with Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus (EEEV)," the statement said. "The risk of transmission to humans has increased."
There is nothing immediate to panic here. But diseases like EEEV and West Nile – the most prevalent mosquito disease in the US today – will no doubt become more prevalent in the country as climate change is felt. And for the moment, there is no specific treatment or vaccine against VEEE. So, like many things affected by climate change, this terrible, though rare, affliction is about to hurt more people in the not-too-distant future.
For those looking to reduce the risk of mosquito bites, you should use repellents on yourself and on your clothes (DEET repellents, picaridine, eucalyptus lemon oil, para-menthane -diol and IR3535 are effective, according to health authorities). People working in areas where mosquitoes are still present could also benefit from wearing pants and long sleeves. It is also helpful to eliminate all sources of stagnant water outside your home and maintain a clean pool.
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