The impact of the Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus

Interviewer – What are the main symptoms of EEE in humans, and how does it affect them?

Dr. Sydney Crawley – It’s similar to many other viruses – fatigue, fever, chills, body aches, vomiting. In serious cases, someone might experience seizures or other neurological issues that require a visit to the doctor or the hospital. Behavioral changes, drowsiness, coma – those are definitely symptoms of a more severe form, and you would definitely want to see a medical provider very quickly in those cases.

Interviewer – And you said that people in high-risk areas should be more aware: How can people in those higher-risk areas protect themself from EEE?

Dr. Sydney Crawley – So, obviously, avoiding habitats where the virus and vector are interacting on a regular basis. So that would be marshes, bogs, wetlands. Wearing insect repellents will help for sure. Avoid being outdoors at dusk and dawn. I know some areas of the United States where infections are passing along pretty readily; they’ve set a curfew. Abiding by that curfew would be wise. Wearing long-sleeved, light-colored clothing will help to deter mosquito biting activity. And then, of course, keeping your home protected by repairing any holes in screens, or cracks or crevices that allow mosquitoes to come indoors. That will help as well.

Interviewer – How can communities work together to reduce the risk of EEE outbreaks?

Dr. Sydney Crawley – So I think supporting local vector control districts is very important, and a lot of people may not know that they actually have a vector control district that is set to spray pesticides and do other things that can help reduce the number of biting mosquitoes that they see. So advocating politically for more funding for these organizations will help reduce the number of mosquito-borne disease cases that we see. And then reporting mosquito activity to your local district or state health department, clearing out gutters and stormwater ditches when possible around your home, is very helpful. And if you have any municipal or city issues – like a drainage problem that you’ve noticed in your neighborhood – reporting that and making them aware will also help.

Interviewer – Are there any misconceptions about this disease that you’d like to clear up?

Dr. Sydney Crawley – Yes, so actually, I know that there has been a lot of buzz about this virus, no pun intended, but it’s actually pretty rare for this to pop up in humans. The disease actually more commonly impacts horses, and that’s just due to the predominant vectors that transmit the virus and their preferred host. And infection with the Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus does not necessarily mean that an individual is going to actually develop the disease.