A rare case of Eastern equine encephalitis (EEEV) has claimed the life of a resident from New Hampshire.
- The victim was an adult from Hampstead, marking the state’s first human case in a decade.
- Four other nonfatal EEEV cases have been reported in Massachusetts, Vermont, Wisconsin, and New Jersey.
- New England faces heightened EEEV risk this year, with numerous positive mosquito samples detected.
- Residents are advised to limit exposure to mosquitoes until the first hard frost.
A New Hampshire resident has succumbed to Eastern equine encephalitis, a rare mosquito-borne brain infection. This marks the state’s first known human case of the disease in a decade and the fifth in the U.S. this summer, according to health officials.
The adult victim, hailing from Hampstead, tested positive for EEEV and was hospitalized with severe central nervous system symptoms before passing away, confirmed the state’s Department of Health and Human Services.
This incident follows four other nonfatal human EEEV infections reported in the U.S. this year, including cases in Massachusetts, Vermont, Wisconsin, and New Jersey. The last human EEEV case in New Hampshire was in 2014, involving three infections, two of which were fatal.
Beyond this recent human case, New Hampshire has detected EEEV in one horse and seven mosquito batches. Massachusetts reported a human case in Worcester County, its first since 2020, along with the virus found in one horse and 60 mosquito samples. Vermont has identified EEEV in 47 mosquito samples.
Dr. Benjamin Chan, New Hampshire’s epidemiologist, noted an elevated risk for EEEV infections in New England due to the positive mosquito samples found this year. He advised residents to limit outdoor exposure until a hard frost, which would kill the mosquitoes, occurs.
As of last week, health officials in Massachusetts listed at least 10 communities in Plymouth and Worcester counties near Boston as being at high or critical risk for EEEV.
EEEV can cause flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, muscle aches, and joint pain. More severe cases can lead to neurological conditions, including encephalitis and meningitis. Notably, around one-third of those who develop encephalitis from EEEV perish, with many survivors suffering lifelong physical and mental impacts.
There is no available vaccine or antiviral treatment for EEEV. On average, 11 human cases are reported in the U.S. each year, with a peak of 38 cases in 2019. Since EEEV infections are rare but often lethal, they prompt significant attention and public health response.
Dr. Amesh Adalja from Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security stated the greatest risk areas are New England and Gulf Coast states, where mosquitoes and the birds they infect follow cyclical patterns.
Residents should remain vigilant and take preventive measures against mosquito bites until the first hard frost.
Source: Gmanetwork