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Eastern equine encephalitis virus
Epidemiology:
- transmitted by mosquitoes
- spreads between Culiseta melanura mosquitoes & birds found in forested wetlands [2]
- small mammals, reptiles, or amphibians may also be involved
- occurs along the Atlantic & Gulf coasts
- in summer & fall of 2019, 9 U.S. states have reported 36 human cases (14 of them fatal) [2,3]
- Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Vermont & Wisconsin have reported cases of eastern equine encephalitis in Summer or 2024 [4]
Pathology:
- viral encephalitis
Clinical manifestations:
- fever
- headache
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- seizures
Laboratory:
- Eastern equine encephalitis virus serology
- Eastern equine encephalitis virus antigen
- Eastern equine encephalitis virus RNA
Complications:
- 30% mortality
- chronic neurologic problems may persist in survivors [4]
Management:
- no human vaccines or treatments
- there is a vaccine for horses [4]
Related
Eastern equine encephalitis virus antibody in serum
General
encephalitis virus
Properties
KINGDOM: virus
GENOME-TYPE: ribonucleic acid
References
- Medical Knowledge Self Assessment Program (MKSAP) 17, 18.
American College of Physicians, Philadelphia 201, 2018
- Morens DM et al
Perspective: Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus - Another Emergent Arbovirus
in the United States.
N Engl J Med 2019; 381:1989-1992
PMID: 31747726
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1914328
- Lindsey NP, Martin SW, Staples JE, Fischer M.
Notes from the Field: Multistate Outbreak of Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus -
United States, 2019.
MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2020;69:50-51
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6902a4.htm
- Feller S
New Hampshire reports death from EEE as five states see cases.
Healio. Infectious Disease News. Augusts 27, 2024
https://www.healio.com/news/infectious-disease/20240827/new-hampshire-reports-death-from-eee-as-five-states-see-cases
- Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC).
Eastern equine encephalitis virus: Current year data (2024).
https://www.cdc.gov/eastern-equine-encephalitis/data-maps/current-year-data.html