What to know about the mosquito-borne virus circulating in the Northeast
© Pat Wellenbach/AP
About Mosquitoes in the United States
Key points
- Over 200 types of mosquitoes live in the continental United States and U.S. territories. About 12 types spread germs that can make people sick.
- Nuisance mosquitoes bother people but do not spread germs.
- Because you can’t tell if a mosquito is spreading germs when it bites, protect yourself from bites.
Mosquitoes that spread germs
Only some types of mosquitoes can spread germs (viruses and parasites) to people and animals. In the United States, the most common types of mosquitoes that can spread germs include:
- Aedes species mosquitoes (Ae. aegypti)
- Culex species mosquitoes (Cx. pipiens, Cx. tarsalis, Cx. quinquefasciatus)
- Anopheles species mosquitoes (An. freeborni and An. quadrimaculatus)
A person who gets bitten by an infected mosquito and gets sick has a mosquito-borne disease.
- West Nile is one of the most common mosquito-borne diseases in the continental United States.
- Other mosquito-borne diseases in the United States include:
- Dengue, chikungunya, and Zika outbreaks have occurred in U.S. states and territories, including Florida, Hawaii, Texas, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa.
According to the CDC, there have been 289 cases in the U.S. this year; Texas has reported the most at 41 cases. In the United States, mosquito-borne diseases are a significant concern.
Each year, there are over 1 million cases of vector-borne diseases, which include those spread by mosquitoes 1. Specifically, the U.S. sees more than 2,000 cases of malaria annually, mostly among travelers returning from abroad 2. Additionally, West Nile virus is one of the most common mosquito-borne diseases, with hundreds of cases reported each year 1.
It’s important to take preventive measures, especially during mosquito season, to reduce the risk of these diseases
Learn more: 1usatoday.com 2cdc.gov 3statista.com 4hhs.gov 5webmd.com
BONUS: Search Results for Lyme Disease | Cancer Quick Facts (solitarius.org)
Growing concern also amid spread of mosquito-borne viruses (nbcnews.com)
There is growing concern about the spread of mosquito-borne viruses, including eastern equine encephalitis and West Nile virus. Officials in New Hampshire say one person has died after becoming infected with the encephalitis virus. NBC News’ Rehema Ellis reports.
Several towns in northeastern Massachusetts, including Douglas, Oxford, Sutton, and Webster, have introduced an optional evening curfew to reduce the risk of dangerous mosquito-borne illnesses. This measure follows the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s (DPH) announcement of the first confirmed human case of Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) in Worcester County since 2020.
One person has died, and some communities are restricting activities as eastern equine encephalitis, or EEE, circulates in the northeastern United States. The mosquito-borne disease is rare but serious, with about 30% of people who contract severe EEE dying and others developing neurological issues.
Massachusetts reported its second confirmed case of the rare but potentially deadly Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus on Thursday.
The individual was identified as a woman in her thirties, who had been exposed in an area of Plymouth County that was aerially sprayed with insecticide on Tuesday night. She was infected before spraying in the community had been completed. The department did not say anything about the woman’s current condition, but assured that there have been no changes in the area’s risk level, currently determined to be high.
A horse in the same area was also exposed: the second confirmed case in a Massachusetts horse this year.
“This evidence of the spread of EEE to a person and a horse in Plymouth County before aerial spraying confirms risk in the area,” Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein said in a release.
“We expect that the aerial spraying will help prevent risk for EEE from continuing to escalate in the area, but it does not eliminate it completely. We are asking people to be consistent about taking steps to prevent mosquito bites.”
The Town of Plymouth recently closed public parks and fields from dusk until dawn, peak biting times for many mosquitoes.
The state’s first human case of the virus was reported on August 16. The individual was identified as a man in his 80s who had been hospitalized after being exposed to the virus in Worcester County. The department declined to provide further details on the case due to patient privacy.
Vermont health officials also reported a virus case in a Chittenden County man in his 40s, who was hospitalized in July and left the hospital a week later. The man was not identified.
In New Hampshire, 41-year-old Hampstead resident Steven Perry died after contracting the virus. He was the state’s first case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis in a decade. His family told Boston 25 News this week that he had no underlying medical conditions and that they did not know where he had contracted the virus.
Steven Scott Perry was identified as New Hampshire’s first death from Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus in a decade. States across the eastern U.S. are currently on high alert for the disease #eee – Explore | Facebook
Although a tally from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still only shows four cases on its website, this news brings the total number of reported cases to six. Other cases were identified in Wisconsin and New Jersey.
Spread through the bite of infected mosquitoes, approximately 30% of those who are infected die, and survivors are often left with neurological problems. There are currently no vaccines or medicines to treat or prevent the disease, which affects people of all ages.
Concern about Eastern Equine Encephalitis also comes amid concerns over the spread of West Nile virus, which has been confirmed in more than half of U.S. states this year, according to the CDC.
Yesterday, Illinois and Wisconsin reported their first deaths from West Nile virus, including two in the Badger State. A Missouri teenager was left paralyzed and on a ventilator after contracting West Nile, according to a report from NBC News.
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Here’s what to know.
What is EEE?
Eastern equine encephalitis is spread by bites from infected mosquitoes. The disease can cause brain inflammation and may impair a person’s neurological and nerve functions.
A few cases are reported in the United States each year, usually in eastern or Gulf Coast states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. EEE is most common from late spring through early fall and near bodies of water.
Eastern equine encephalitis got its name because it was first detected in horses.
Massachusetts health officials have confirmed a second human case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) this year. The patient, a woman in her 30s, was exposed to the mosquito-borne virus in Plymouth County12. This follows the first confirmed case earlier this month, involving a man in his 80s from Worcester County3.
EEE is a rare but serious disease that can cause severe illness or even death. Health officials are urging residents to take precautions against mosquito bites, such as using insect repellent and avoiding outdoor activities during peak mosquito hours3.
How are you feeling about this news? Are there any specific concerns you have?
How do you get EEE?
EEE typically circulates between mosquitoes and birds usually found in freshwater hardwood swamps. People who live or work near wetlands, swamps or wooded areas and spend a lot of time outdoors are at a greater risk of contracting EEE, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
The infection most often affects children under 15 and adults over 50. People with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, organ transplant recipients and diabetics, may experience severe symptoms. As mosquito season has gotten longer in much of the contiguous United States due to climate change, scientists have expressed concern that the risk of mosquito-borne infections like EEE could grow.
What are the symptoms?
While many people have no symptoms, signs of the less severe form of EEE may include chills, fever, joint pain and muscle pain. This form of disease, known as febrile illness, typically lasts one to two weeks, and most people recover fully.
A severe infection, or neurological disease, could be marked by confusion, diarrhea, drowsiness, headaches, high fever, seizures, loss of appetite and vomiting. Many people who recover from serious infections have long-term physical or mental problems.
Symptoms often appear four to 10 days after the bite from an infected mosquito.
Where have cases of EEE recently been reported?
There have been at least six cases of EEE in humans so far this year, with infections confirmed in Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Wisconsin.
One person, a resident of Hampstead, N.H., whose age and gender have not been made public, has died. In Massachusetts, where health officials said several communities are at elevated risk of EEE, some towns are closing parks after dusk, restricting outdoor activities and rescheduling public events.
There were seven cases of EEE in humans last year — far fewer than in 2019, when 38 cases were recorded.
Is there a cure or vaccine?
No, there are no vaccines against EEE in humans or medicines to treat it.
What should you do if you think you have EEE?
EEE symptoms may resemble those of the flu and there’s no specific test for the virus, so talk to your health-care provider if you were recently bitten by a mosquito and have symptoms, or if you have a weakened immune system.
Rest, fluids and over-the-counter pain medicines may help relieve symptoms, the CDC says, but patients with severe infections may require hospitalization.
How can you avoid getting EEE?
The advice for preventing an eastern equine encephalitis infection is the same as that for other mosquito-borne illnesses, such as the West Nile virus: Avoid getting bitten. Specific suggestions include using mosquito repellent, wearing clothes that cover your skin, such as long-sleeved shirts and long pants, and rescheduling outdoor activities to avoid the hours between dusk and dawn.
While certain essential oils may protect against mosquitoes, there has not been enough research into protection times and safe and effective concentrations for use on skin. Ultrasonic or wearable devices do not usually repel mosquitoes.
Make sure your window screens are in good condition and have a proper seal, and regularly check around your home for standing water, debris or empty containers where mosquitoes could breed.
Massachusetts officials are conducting mosquito-control spraying in some counties this week to target insects carrying eastern equine encephalitis.
EEE probably can be transmitted through blood transfusions, so people recently diagnosed with eastern equine encephalitis can help prevent it from spreading further by not donating blood for four months following their illness.
Teddy Amenabar, Lindsey Bever and Anumita Kaur contributed to this report.
Recently, Dr. Fauci contracted the West Nile virus, another disease transmitted by mosquitoes. Quite a strange coincidence, right? Personally, I don’t believe in coincidences. Not too long, a video surfaced showing what appears to be mosquitoes being released from a helicopter.
This should be considered a crime against humanity. We are NOT gods and do not know what the long term effects of any of this will be . . . and anyone who says they do know . . . is lying.
Who agreed to this madness. We did not vote for this! So I can just release millions of disease carrying mosquitoes with no repercussions?!!
This is what 5th generation warfare looks like. It’s not the only thing the Governments are dropping on it’s citizens, heavy metals, criminal immigrants, and airborne viruses Somebody needs to be held accountable!!!
You’re all idiots if you think that could even be mosquitos being dropped. Its spray to combat the mosquitos that are carrying the diseases. Trump wants to stop aerial spraying because our environment is unhealthy due to Bill Gates’ mission to “depopulate”. Gates admits spraying COVID vaccines & other chemicals which is contaminating our soil & food supply. He should be arrested.
So if they are attacking you.
What’s stopping you from protecting yourself with force? That is a direct attack on the entire community. It’s lethal and they are doing it on purpose. We have rights in this country and protecting yourself and your community is part of them. What’s easier? To make up a story about there being these dangerous mosquitoes out there to get people to lockdown or to actually genetically produce these mosquitoes to get the same effect?
Bill Gates has passed the point of deserving a court hearing. He has been attempting worldwide genocide, fucking children on pedo Island, and lying about all the things he “knows so much about” for decades. We have to do something about him. He must be stopped. The federal government is releasing these genetically modified mosquitoes for Bill Gates so they can kill the human population of America…
The bite is on: What to know about the viruses mosquitoes are spreading.
Late August and early September are when cases of mosquito-borne viruses, especially West Nile, increase rapidly, the CDC said.
If there is one time of year to break out the bug spray, it’s Labor Day weekend.
“This is the prime time — the last week of August and the first week of September — when West Nile usually peaks nationally,” said Dr. Erin Staples, a mosquito expert and medical epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “People need to be using their insect repellent right now.”
Mosquito-borne viruses are making their rounds across the country, sometimes with devastating effects. According to the CDC, 289 cases of West Nile virus have been logged so far in 2024. A majority of those patients, 195, developed severe neurological problems like inflammation of the brain or paralysis. At least 18 died.
“This is the time of year when cases of West Nile virus rapidly increase,” Staples said. While it’s too early in the season to compare this year with others, she said, “some areas like Texas and New York City are seeing a lot of activity.”
Another virus spread by mosquitoes, Eastern equine encephalitis, is less widespread but deadlier. This month, a 41-year-old New Hampshire man without any underlying medical problems died of EEE. “It doesn’t matter how old you are,” Staples said. EEE “can, unfortunately, kill.” A handful of other cases of EEE have been detected in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Vermont and Wisconsin.
Among people with severe symptoms related to EEE, nearly a third will die. The mortality rate among people with similarly serious West Nile virus disease hovers at about 10%.
What are symptoms and warning signs?
The good news is that the vast majority of people who are infected by West Nile or EEE never know it because they have no symptoms. Symptoms for both of the viruses, which can begin anywhere from three days to two weeks after the mosquito bite, include:
- Fever
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Nausea
The viruses become a serious problem if they get into the central nervous system, affecting the brain or spinal cord.
A sure sign that warrants an immediate call to 911 is an unexplained altered mental state or confusion, said Dr. Waleed Javaid, director of Infection Control and Prevention at Mount Sinai Downtown in New York City.
“If a person starts getting confused while they are ill with flu-like symptoms, that should trigger a trip to the hospital or urgent care,” Javaid said.
How are mosquito-borne illnesses diagnosed?
It’s virtually impossible for doctors to diagnose a mosquito-borne illness on symptoms alone.
“West Nile and Eastern equine encephalitis can cause the same presentation,” Staples said. “The clinician looking at them is not going to know” the difference without testing.
Blood tests are most commonly used to make an official diagnosis. If a person has severe neurologic symptoms, doctors may test the patient’s fluid around the brain through a spinal tap.
The reason tests are usually done is not necessarily to help the patient; it’s to inform public health officials about where mosquitoes are spreading potentially deadly viruses.
There is no specific treatment for either EEE or West Nile. People who are sick enough to be hospitalized are given supportive care to deal with severe symptoms.
“All we really can do is keep them hydrated, keep their fevers down and make sure they don’t have respiratory failure,” said epidemiologist Dr. W. Ian Lipkin, director of the Center for Infection and Immunity at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health in New York City.
Is 2024 a bad year for mosquitoes?
This is the time of year most of the bloodsuckers like to feast. While it’s not yet clear if 2024 will be an unusually active year for mosquito-borne viruses, experts say it’s likely cases will increase in the coming years.
Climate change is leading to hotter temperatures and rainier seasons — perfect breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
The future may bring more EEE and West Nile infections, said Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of infectious diseases at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee.
“With climate change you get abundant mosquitoes,” he said. Moreover, “the increased warmth allows the virus to replicate more quickly in the mosquito which makes it more likely for it to transmit the virus when it bites you.”
How to prevent mosquito bites
The best way to avoid mosquito bites is to use bug sprays with DEET. The CDC also recommends Picaridin (known as KBR 3023 and icaridin outside the U.S.).
- If you get an insect bite wash it out with 99% Isopropyl Alcohol – Search Videos
- Bactine (for use on the skin) is used to reduce pain or discomfort caused by skin irritations such as sunburn, insect bites, poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac, and minor cuts, scratches, or burns.
- How to Wash an Insect Bite (youtube.com)
The sprays won’t kill the bugs, but they are effective in keeping them at bay.
- Dress in loose-fitting long sleeves and long pants.
- Pour out any standing water in bird baths, dog bowls, flowerpots and toys left outside.