One person has died after a rare mosquito-borne disease, called Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), was detected in Alabama.
Two cases were reported from Baldwin County up to now few weeks, the Alabama Department of Public Health said in a press release. Health officials caution people to guard themselves from mosquito bites, the carrier of the virus.
“Residents are advised to be cautious and take steps to guard themselves and their pets from mosquitos,” City of Spanish Fort officials said.
EEE virus was also present in horses and mosquitoes in Recent York. But no human cases were reported within the state till now, the Recent York State Department of Health said in a news release.
EEE is a rare but serious viral infection that has a fatality rate of 30%. There are not any effective medications to stop or treat the infection, and lots of survivors develop neurologic impairments. The virus doesn’t transmit from an infected human.
Know the symptoms of EEE
While some people infected with the virus may not develop symptoms, in those that develop signs, the incubation period is from 4 to 10 days.
A light infection cause febrile illness with fever, chills, muscle pain and joint aches that lasts one to 2 weeks. When the infection becomes severe, the patient may develop brain inflammation (encephalitis) with signs resembling confusion, drowsiness, headache, diarrhea, vomiting, high fever and lack of appetite. A severe infection also can result in meningitis, a serious condition that causes swelling of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord.
Survivors of severe infection are liable to complications resembling brain dysfunction, mental impairment, personality disorders, seizures, paralysis and coma.
Even though it is a serious infection, EEE shouldn’t be all the time life-threatening. The severity of the infection relies on age and several other other aspects, including immunity. Individuals with blood pressure, diabetes, kidney disease and people undergoing organ transplants and cancer treatment are at a greater risk.
Treatment
Treatments using antibiotics aren’t effective for the disease. Drinking loads of water, taking adequate rest and use of over-the-counter pain relievers will help cure mild infections. Nevertheless, severe infection requires hospitalization and continuous monitoring. Healthcare providers use immunoglobulin therapy in case of severe infections.
Prevention
There isn’t a vaccine for prevention. Essentially the most effective way for stopping infection is avoiding mosquito bites. Limiting outdoors during dusk and dawn, using long sleeve clothes, mosquito repellants and protective screens will help.
Published by Medicaldaily.com