Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) is a virus spread by a bite from an infected mosquito. While EEE is rare, an infected person can become seriously ill and even die from the virus.
Effect on Encephalitis on the Brain
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EEE is caused by being bitten by a mosquito that is infected with the virus.
The greatest risk factors for EEE are spending time in areas where mosquitoes are present and not using insect repellent.
Risk factors for developing serious symptoms from EEE include:
Most people with EEE do not have any symptoms.
If symptoms do occur, they may appear in 4-10 days and include:
EEE can lead to more serious, life-threatening symptoms like inflammation of the brain, seizures, and coma.
In addition to taking your medical history and doing a physical exam, your doctor will ask you:
A blood test or a test of your spinal fluid is commonly used to confirm the diagnosis of EEE. Depending on the symptoms that you have, your doctor may order other tests, such as:
Treatment for EEE focuses on supportive care. Severe symptoms require hospitalization, which may include:
To help reduce your chances of getting EEE, take the following steps:
Centers for Disease Control and Preventionhttp://www.cdc.gov/
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokehttp://www.ninds.nih.gov/
Eastern equine encephalitis. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/easternequineencephalitis/. Updated August 16, 2012. Accessed September 24, 2012.
Eastern equine encephalitis. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed/. Updated July 13, 2012. Accessed September 24, 2012.
Encephalitis: an overview. EBSCO Nursing Reference Center website. Available at: http://www.ebscohost.com/pointofcare/nrc-about. Updated March 9, 2012. Accessed September 24, 2012.
Technical fact sheet: eastern equine encephalitis. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/EasternEquineEncephalitis/tech/factSheet.html. Updated August 16, 2012. Accessed September 24, 2012.
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