New York state confirms death of human patient due to EEE

New York state has announced its first confirmed human case of eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) since 2015. press release From the New York State Department of Health.

The person, an adult resident of Ulster County, was hospitalized but later died, the release said, adding that the epidemiology of the incident is under investigation. The death occurred three days after the New York State Department of Health confirmed the infection on September 20th.

Therefore, the New York State Department of Health emphasizes the need for residents to take precautions to avoid mosquito bites and reduce the risk of EEE and other mosquito-borne illnesses, and the state has issued the following recommendations: Declaration of an imminent threat to public health from mosquito-borne diseases This document outlines how local health departments can receive funding and take action to control mosquitoes in their area.

“Eastern equine encephalitis is a serious and fatal mosquito-borne disease for which there is no vaccine,” State Health Commissioner James MacDonald, M.D., said in a press release. “Even though temperatures are dropping, mosquito-borne diseases remain dangerous and New Yorkers must be careful,” he said.

Other states have reported human cases of EEE in 2024, including Massachusetts, Vermont, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, and New Hampshire. Medscape Medical News previously reported About this surge, protective measures, and clinical guidance.

The New York State Department of Health cannot say whether the confirmed EEE patient had specific risk factors or exposures that would increase their risk of infection, said Daniel R. de Souza, M.S., a New York State Department of Health spokesperson. said. the state Department of Health said in an interview.

However, “EEE should be considered in patients with fever or neurological illness who may have been recently exposed to mosquitoes, especially in areas where EEE virus activity has been reported,” De Souza said.

People of all ages can be susceptible to EEE, but those over 50 and under 15 are at higher risk.

Most cases of EEE are asymptomatic, but clinical symptoms in severe cases include sudden onset of fever, headache and meningitis (the trifecta of headache, fever, and stiff neck); may be accompanied by nausea and vomiting. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website. In severe cases, patients may experience disorientation, seizures, and coma. According to the CDC, about one-third of human EEE patients die, and half of those who survive experience long-term neurological problems.

There is no commercially available human vaccine against EEE. Therefore, the best prevention is to avoid mosquito bites, according to the New York State Department of Health, and it continues to recommend precautions to reduce the risk of infection from EEE and other viruses.

A disease transmitted by mosquitoes. These recommendations include using insect repellents containing N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide, or DEET, when outdoors and washing treated skin after returning indoors.

Other personal protection strategies include wearing long sleeves outdoors at dusk or dawn, tucking shirts into pants and pants into socks.

Environmental strategies to reduce contact with mosquitoes include eliminating standing water from yards, emptying birdbaths, wading pools, and other areas where water can collect, and installing screens on doors and windows. This includes making sure it is solid and free of rips, tears, and holes.

In addition to one horse in Ulster County, EEE has also been confirmed in horses in St. Lawrence, Madison, Oneida, Orange, Cayuga, Wayne, and Washington counties, according to the agency. another press release From the New York Department of Health. Although this virus cannot be spread from horses to humans, horse owners are encouraged to have their horses vaccinated.

Mr. de Sousa had no financial disputes to disclose.