Vermont reports 1st human Eastern Equine Encephalitis death in over a decade
Vermont reports 1st human Eastern Equine Encephalitis death in over a decade
The Vermont Department of Health reported last week the first confirmed death this year caused by infection with Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus in a Chittenden County resident.
The patient, a male in his 70s, was hospitalized in late August and died due to his illness in September. Test results were confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week.
This death is the first in Vermont since 2012.
There have been two confirmed EEE cases in humans this year. The first person, whose infection was confirmed in early August, later recovered. The two EEE infections are the first detected in the state since 2012.
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In the United States to date, 16 human EEE cases have been reported to date-Massachusetts (4), New Hampshire (5), Rhode Island (1), Vermont (2), New Jersey (1), New York (1), Wisconsin (1) and North Carolina (1).
This is up from 7 human cases during the same period in 2023.
EEE is spread by the bite of a mosquito infected with EEE virus (EEEV). EEEV can also infect a wide range of animals including mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. The spread of EEEV to mammals (including humans and horses) occurs through the bite of infected mosquitoes that feed on both birds and mammals.
Most people infected with EEE virus will have no or mild symptoms, such as fever, chills, fatigue, and joint and body aches. While rare, EEE can result in severe disease, including encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain. EEE is fatal in about one-third of people who develop severe disease. Many who recover from severe EEE disease are left with disabilities.
There are no vaccines to prevent or medicines to treat eastern equine encephalitis.
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