By Kelli Hernandez
VALDOSTA — The Georgia Division of Public Health confirmed Wednesday six positive cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) in horses found in five south Georgia counties.
With nine cases of the virus confirmed throughout the state, Courtney Sheeley, public information officer for the South Health District, stated that citizens in Lowndes and surrounding counties need to continue using precautions to avoid being on the receiving end of a mosquito bite.
“This is an ongoing concern we have,” Sheeley said. “Even where mosquitoes aren’t prevalent, people still need to continue to take precautions, since we are not even in West Nile Virus season yet.”
Citizens should take precautions “well into the summer months”, according to a press release issued by the South Health District. West Nile Virus, a separate mosquito-borne illness that comes from the same virus as EEE, is most prevalent in September and October.
Two cases of EEE were confirmed in Lowndes County with one case each confirmed in Berrien, Brooks, Cook and Lanier Counties.
Lowndes County Manager Joe Pritchard stated that the Public Works Department began to intensify mosquito spraying in the areas of the outbreak as soon as the county was notified.
“When we get those indicators to the area of the outbreak we start spraying within a two mile radius of that site on a more extensive basis than we normally do,” Pritchard said.
The EEE virus is very rare in humans, according to Sheeley, and is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito. The virus normally only circulates between birds and mosquitoes in swampy areas and cannot be transmitted from person to person, horse to horse or horse to human, according to Lynne Feldman, district health director.
County Public Information Officer, Paige Dukes, stated that according to Lowndes County Animal Services Director, Linda Patelski, there is a vaccine for horses to prevent EEE infection and that horses can be protected from all mosquito-borne diseases for no more than $16 per shot.
EEE is the inflammation or swelling of the brain caused by the virus. The virus is regarded as one of the most serious mosquito-borne diseases in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Most people bitten by a mosquito carrying EEE will not become sick. Those that are infected will generally show symptoms including sudden onset of fever, muscle pains and headaches, within three to 10 days of being bitten. Many infected patients can experience more severe illness including seizures and coma, according to the South Health District.
Though children, the elderly and those with a compromised immune system are more susceptible to attracting WNV, there is no demographic that is at a greater risk of contracting EEE than any other. Those who are considered high risk for contracting EEE are those who spend much of their time outdoors.
For more information on EEE or any other mosquito-borne disease visit www.cdc.gov or www.southhealthdistrict.com, or call the South Health District at 333-5290.
Tips for protecting yourself against mosquito bites:
- Use an EPA-registered repellent anytime you are outdoors for any length of time.
- Wear protective clothing such as long sleeves an pants.
- Avoid prolonged exposure outdoors during mosquito breeding times. The hours from dusk to dawn are peak biting times for many species of mosquitoes.
- Any containers that can collect water should be discarded to dumped daily.
- Check windows or screen doors for holes to help keep mosquitoes from entering a home.
