HASTINGS, Mich. — The Barry-Eaton District Health Department warns Michiganders to watch out for mosquito bites after mosquitoes in Barry County tested positive for Eastern equine encephalitis.
“EEE is one of the most dangerous mosquito-borne diseases in the United States with a 33% fatality rate in people who become ill,” MDHHS Chief Medical Executive Doctor Natasha Bagdasarian said.
The mosquitoes were tested at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of Laboratories on Friday, June 30.
EEE has not been found in any people or animals since then, but the health department says the virus can spread after just one bite from an infected mosquito.
"The forewarning that we get by trapping mosquitoes is that we're trying to find the virus in the mosquito hopefully before that mosquito has had chances to bite people and animals," MDHHS medical entomologist Emily Dinh told FOX 17 Thursday.
According to the health department, anyone can get sick with EEE, while people under 15 and over 50 are the most prone to severe disease.
Signs of an EEE infection include sudden onset of fever, chills and body and joint aches that can progress to severe encephalitis, leading to headaches, disorientation, tremors, seizures and paralysis.
“It’s a neurological disease where it’s not very common, like the flu for example, but for the people who do get very sick with EEE, there can be life-long, devastating neurological consequences,” Dinh explained.
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, you should contact a medical provider immediately— permanent brain damage, coma and death are possible in some cases.
"Mosquito-borne diseases in Michigan, including EEE, don't have a cure if people do get it, and there's no specific treatment for it," Dinh said. "To prevent mosquito-borne diseases really depends on preventing mosquito bites."
Here are some tips from the health department on how to avoid mosquito bites and mosquito-borne diseases:
- Use insect repellents that have either the active ingredient DEET or other EPA-approved products.
- Wear light-colored, long-sleeved shirts and long pants while outdoors— make sure you apply the insect repellent not only to exposed skin but also to your clothes.
- Use window and door screens to help keep mosquitoes outside.
- Empty and refill water from mosquito breeding sites around your property at least once a week— this can include buckets, unused pools, old tires, bird baths and other water-holding containers where mosquitoes could lay eggs.
Meanwhile, horses infected with EEE have a 90% death rate.
To protect your horses, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development recommends the following:
- Talk to your veterinarian about vaccinating your horses against EEE and other mosquito-borne diseases.
- Put your horses and other livestock inside a barn and under fans during peak mosquito activity— from dusk to dawn.
- Use an insect repellent on animals— make sure it is approved for the species.
- Contact your vet as soon as animals start showing signs of illness.
More than 600 mosquito pools had been tested throughout the state as of June 30.
In addition to the recent discovery in Barry County, a mosquito pool in Bay County also tested positive for EEE, while a mosquito pool in Saginaw County tested positive for Jamestown Canyon virus.
READ MORE: Bay County mosquitoes test positive for EEE, 1st of 2023
There were no human cases of EEE in 2022; however, the virus killed three horses from Eaton, Roscommon and St. Joseph counties, along with one bird from Houghton County.
The state confirmed 15 human cases of EEE between 2019 and 2021— eight of those cases resulted in death.
Click here for more information about EEE and how to prevent it.
