Eastern Equine Encephalitis Raises Alarm In US

The New York Times (8/28, Rosenbluth) reports a rare “mosquito-borne virus called Eastern equine encephalitis” (EEE) has led to “residents of 10 communities in Massachusetts” being warned “to stay indoors from dusk to dawn,” while “some local parks are closed at night” and “pesticides are being sprayed from trucks and aircrafts.” EEE “is endemic in North America,” with the US usually seeing “a handful of infections every year, mainly along the East Coast and around the Great Lakes.” The virus is particularly dangerous for “those who spend extended periods of time outside – including people who have outdoor jobs, who are homeless or who enjoy hiking or biking.” There are currently “no treatments that target the E.E.E. virus,” forcing doctors to “focus on managing symptoms with pain medications or, in severe cases, using steroids to control swelling.”