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The DeKalb County Health Department recently announced that a mosquito in the area had tested positive for the deadly equine encephalitis virus, reported the Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper. .
"It's a very serious disease if it infects a person," Ryan Cira, director of environmental health at the DeKalb Health Board, told AJC, although humans are rarely infected with the virus.
RELATED: Positive mosquito tests for equine encephalitis from East to DeKalb
Here's what you need to know about EEE:
A mosquito from DeKalb County, Georgia, has been tested positive for equine encephalitis virus in the east.
(Pixabay)
What is it?
The rare and deadly disease is caused by a virus transmitted by infected mosquitoes. This can lead to encephalitis or inflammation of the brain.
RELATED: Tick, mosquito and flea infections in the United States have more than tripled since 2004, warns CDC
Is it rare?
EEE cases are generally reported in the states of the Atlantic and the Gulf Coast, including Florida. About 5 to 10 cases are reported each year, according to the Atlanta Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
How can a person be infected?
The disease is transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito. The symptoms of EEE usually appear 4 to 10 days after the sting.
What are the symptoms of infection with the EEE virus?
Those who suffer from a serious infection may initially experience headaches, chills, high fever, nausea and vomiting. However, the CDC warns that the disease can escalate into seizures, disorientation or coma.
»RELATED: Expert tips to prevent mosquito bites
What does a treatment look like for EEE?
Physicians may encourage supportive therapy with respiratory support and intravenous solutions, but there is no effective antiviral drug available to treat EEE.
How many infected people die from EEE?
About a third of patients who develop an EEE die. According to public health experts, those who survive often suffer from mild to severe brain damage.
Who is most at risk of contracting the virus?
Anyone who spends a lot of time outdoors, either working in forested habitats or outside of recreation, is at increased risk due to increased exposure to mosquitoes.
»RELATED: Mosquitoes in Georgia are positive for West Nile – What to know about the virus
How common are mosquito-borne diseases in Georgia?
According to a recent report from the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of Americans who have contracted mosquito, tick and flea-borne diseases has more than tripled in recent years.
In Georgia, according to the report, 1,420 cases of mosquito-borne diseases were reported between 2004 and 2016.
»RELATED: Here's why diseases caused by insects are becoming more prevalent
What is causing the increase? According to the CDC, several factors intervene. Since travel and trade abroad are more frequent than ever before, germs are spreading more and more to new areas.
"A traveler can be infected with a mosquito-borne disease like Zika in a country and then unknowingly carry it home," the CDC report said.
In addition to traveling, new germs have also been discovered and added to the list of notifiable diseases nationwide.
RELATED: Few tick-borne diseases worry some health professionals
How to reduce your risk of infection
This is to prevent mosquito bites. Here are some CDC tips:
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