The Georgia Department of Public Health has confirmed one positive case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) in a horse found in Lanier County. This is the fourth positive case of EEE found in a horse in South Georgia this year.
Bite of infected mosquito = EEE
A fourth horse has tested positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis in South Georgia this year.
Public information officer Coutney Sheeley says the mosquito-borne disease is not transmitted from horse to horse or from horse to human. The health department reports that most people bitten by a mosquito carrying the disease will not become sick, but those who are infected will usually show symptoms in three to 10 days. They include a sudden fever, muscle pains, and headaches. The most severe cases can include seizures and a coma
EEE is the inflammation or swelling of the brain caused by the eastern equine encephalitis virus. EEE is regarded as one of the most serious mosquito-borne diseases in the United States according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"The EEE virus is transmitted to humans and horses through the bite of an infected mosquito; however, the illness is rare in humans," stated Courtney Sheeley, Public Information Officer. "The EEE virus normally only circulates between birds and mosquitoes in swampy areas. EEE is not transmitted from person to person, horse to horse or horse to human."
Mosquito-borne viral diseases such as EEE are best prevented by taking personal protective measures to avoid mosquito bites. Personal protective measures include wearing repellent containing DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus, ensuring mosquitoes cannot enter your home through open doors or windows or through screens with tears in them, and avoiding outdoor activity when mosquitoes are most active. You should also eliminate standing water around your home where mosquitoes may be breeding.