Posted on 47/10/2010 
Photo: USGS
Two local deaths in the Tampa Bay area, including that of a baby, have shed a critical light on the risk to families from eastern equine encephalitis, a disease spread by mosquito bites. According to the Florida Department of Health, people older than 70 and younger than 15 years-old are at greatest risk.
How to protect your family from EEE
According to the Centers for Disease Control, "there is no vaccine against Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) for humans. Reducing exposure to mosquitoes is the best defense against infection with EEEV and other mosquito-borne viruses. There are several approaches you and your family can use to prevent and control mosquito-borne diseases."
- Use repellent: When outdoors, use insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus on exposed skin and/or clothing. The repellent/insecticide permethrin can be used on clothing to protect through several washes. Always follow the directions on the package.
- Wear protective clothing: Wear long sleeves and pants when weather permits.
- Install and repair screens: Have secure, intact screens on windows and doors to keep mosquitoes out.
- Keep mosquitoes from laying eggs near you: Mosquitoes can lay eggs even in small amounts of standing water. Get rid of mosquito breeding sites by emptying standing water from flower pots, buckets, barrels, and tires. Change the water in pet dishes and replace the water in bird baths weekly. Drill holes in tire swings so water drains out. Empty children's wading pools and store on their side after use.
According to FDOH, "Symptoms develop 3-10 days after the bite of an infected mosquito and begin with a sudden onset of fever, general muscle pains, and a headache of increasing severity. Symptoms can become more severe over 1-2 weeks and infected individuals will either recover or show onset of encephalitis characterized by seizures, vomiting and focal neurological deficits. Severe encephalitic cases often suffer from coma or death. Approximately one-third of people with encephalitis caused by EEEV will die from the disease, making it one of the most serious mosquito-borne diseases in the United States. Of those who recover, many will suffer lasting effects.
"There is currently no therapeutic treatment for EEE. Current methods consist primarily of symptom treatment and supportive care. A vaccine has been developed and is in use for horses, as the case-fatality in equines is 80-90%. A human vaccine is currently under research.
"People under the age of 15 or over 50 seem to be at greatest risk for severe disease. Typically one or two human cases are reported each year in Florida (range 0-5). The state averages over 70 reported cases of equine EEE each year. In years when conditions favor the spread of the EEE, the number of reported equine cases can exceed 200. EEEV is not believed to have the potential to cause a human epidemic in Florida."
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