Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) is rare, but when it strikes, it's among the most serious mosquito-borne diseases in the country, with a fatality rate around 30% and lasting neurological effects common in survivors.
Of all the mosquito-borne diseases, EEE is one of the rarest. It’s also one of the most severe. It’s reasonable to fear it, even if your odds of catching it are very low.
Among the people who develop the serious neurological form of EEE, about a third don’t survive. Many who do are left with lasting neurological damage. There's no specific antiviral cure and no human vaccine. When care is provided, it’s purely supportive.
West Nile virus, by comparison, is a lot more common. Most infections are asymptomatic. Most of the rest result in flu-like symptoms. The very small remainder of cases that turn severe mostly affect the elderly and the immunocompromised. Other regional illnesses, like La Crosse encephalitis, generally fall below EEE in severity as well.
Your odds of being infected with EEE are low, and it should not dominate your summer. But the stakes are high if it does happen, which is why health departments take it seriously, issuing warnings and sometimes conducting spraying when EEE activity is detected. Michigan has seen outbreaks and deaths in recent years.
The best thing you can do is reduce the number of mosquitoes you encounter. You can do this through using repellent, avoiding outdoor activity around dusk and dawn, and having professionals treat your yard to lower the mosquito population in the areas you spend the most time.
If you're tired of worrying about the diseases mosquitoes can carry, Mosquito Squad of Fenton - Brighton can help. Mosquito Squad reduces the mosquito population where your family spends time. This helps protect them with up to 90% reduction in mosquito activity on a recurring 21-day cycle.
