Cases of mosquito-borne diseases are on the rise
Cases of mosquito-borne diseases are on the rise
How concerned should we be?
So far this summer, there have been six cases of a rare mosquito-borne illness called Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus, EEE or “triple E,” in the United States. As with every summer, cases of West Nile virus are also on the rise.
CBS News has been tracking cases of EEE and West Nile virus this year. According to their tracker, the six confirmed cases of EEE were reported in Wisconsin, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Vermont. At the time this article was published, there were 377 confirmed cases of West Nile virus across the U.S.
One otherwise healthy 41-year-old man in New Hampshire died of EEE last month, and another 54-year-old man in New Hampshire is battling the disease, along with two other mosquito-borne illnesses.
So, how concerned should we be about this increase in mosquito-borne illnesses, and what can we do to prevent it?
There is no known cure for EEE, which can cause severe flu-like symptoms and seizures in humans a few days after infection. The disease kills between 30% and 40% of those it infects, and half of the people who survive a triple E infection are left with permanent neurological damage.
Only about 1 in 5 people infected with West Nile develop a fever and other symptoms, and about 1 out of 150 infected individuals develop a serious, sometimes fatal illness. Symptoms of West Nile include fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea, and/or rash, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The increase in mosquito-borne illnesses this summer can be partially attributed to climate change, according to Fast Company. Mosquitoes thrive in warm, humid weather, conditions exacerbated by climate change. Warm temperatures, up to around 90 degrees Fahrenheit, shorten the time it takes for the eggs of Culiseta melanura—one of the two types of mosquitoes that spread EEE—to hatch.
These higher temperatures also lead to increased rainfall, which is conducive to mosquito breeding, as mosquito eggs require standing water to hatch.
Currently, there are no vaccines for EEE or West Nile, and it is unlikely vaccine manufacturers will develop one for humans because the diseases are so rare. However, a vaccine would be the best way to protect people, according to Fast Company. There is an EEE vaccine for horses. Vaccines for West Nile in humans have not advanced past clinical trials, though there are vaccines for some birds and animals.
Despite the lack of a vaccine, there are other preventive measures that can be taken. Experts say the best way to avoid getting sick from mosquitoes is to prevent bites by using insect repellent, wearing clothing that covers the skin, and staying indoors during peak mosquito activity times (dawn and dusk).
Local health officials can also take measures to protect the public, such as testing pools of water for mosquito larvae, increasing public awareness about EEE, and spraying insecticide when the disease is detected.
State officials have initiated an insecticide spraying campaign in 10 "high-risk" or "critical" Massachusetts communities. Towns have also closed parks from dusk to dawn and warned residents to stay indoors after 6 p.m.