A Connecticut adult died last fall, but it was only recently known that that person died from Eastern Equine Encephalitis. State health officials say the individual was tested for West Nile, and further testing after the patient’s death led to the diagnosis of EEE.
The rare, but sometimes fatal, virus comes from the bite of an infected mosquito. Agricultural experts say historically most of the activity is along the I-95 corridor and up through the greater Hartford area.
Public health officials say the circulation of the virus last year was significant. Infected mosquitoes were found in Haddam, Hampton, North Stonington, Plainfield and Voluntown.
In September, a horse in Griswold died from EEE. Now, last week a crew from the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, began its yearly mosquito tracking. They expect some 200,000 mosquitoes to filter through the labs by summer’s end.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that only a few cases of EEE are reported each year in the U.S., and it’s usually found in the Atlantic and Gulf Coast states.
Most people infected have no apparent illness, however severe cases begin with sudden headaches, high fever, chills and vomiting.