Posted on 07/21/2014 12:46:30 AM PDT by Morgana
LONGMEADOW, Mass (WWLP) — While Saturday wasn’t too hot or humid, like most of our summer has been, 22News found that our recent weather conditions have contributed to the arrival of a potentially deadly disease in the Bay State.
Mosquitoes: we’ve talked about them for months, and for the first time this year mosquitoes have infected someone in Massachusetts with eastern equine encephalitis, or triple E.
The Massachusetts Department of Health just confirmed that a July 15th laboratory test in Plymouth County has tested positive for EEE, a dangerous virus that can cause inflammation of the brain and in one third of cases, death.
Even though the only reported case of EEE in Massachusetts was more than 80 miles to our east, our chances in western Massachusetts of getting it just went up. But it probably wouldn’t be the mosquitoes bringing it here.
Birds are typically the long range carrier of triple E, taking the disease over many miles. Mosquitoes then bite the birds and become the local source for infection when they bite a human.
Entomologist Bob Russell of American Pest Solutions told 22News, “Mosquitoes are an unusual insect because bacteria can survive in its gut and then it can be regurgitated or come out in its saliva when it bites, and that’s how you get transmission.”
(Excerpt) Read more at wwlp.com ...
It makes you drive your occupied car off a bridge and wait nine hours before reporting the accident.
Ping...
Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito. Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) is a rare illness in humans, and only a few cases are reported in the United States each year. Most cases occur in the Atlantic and Gulf Coast states (see map). Most persons infected with EEEV have no apparent illness. Severe cases of EEE (involving encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain) begin with the sudden onset of headache, high fever, chills, and vomiting. The illness may then progress into disorientation, seizures, or coma. EEE is one of the most severe mosquito-transmitted diseases in the United States with approximately 33% mortality and significant brain damage in most survivors. There is no specific treatment for EEE; care is based on symptoms. You can reduce your risk of being infected with EEEV by using insect repellent, wearing protective clothing, and staying indoors while mosquitoes are most active. If you think you or a family member may have EEE, it is important to consult your healthcare provider for proper diagnosis
Bring back DDT.
[curse you, Rachel Carson]
It worked.
DDT. The SAFE insecticide that was banned so millions in the third world could die.
FUNNY!
Nice. Chikungunya, dengue, West Nile virus, and now EEE.
Of course, I shall continue to sample the mosquitoes in MD for the presence of pathogens. I do this experiment not quite by choice...
DDT. It was found to cause death in non-beneficial insects. Had to go.
can’t use what works but then they see this and now they have other problems.
Hell it’s MA what would I expect anyway
Both hubby and I turned up with insect bites that acted like chiggers, weeping a golden fluid, intense itching, and a black dot in center. Minor Med clinic said not chigger bites. Not the typical pattern or places. They don’t seem to spread. Take a long time to heal. I had none when I went to bed, woke up with 5 on legs and AB. Ended up on Predisone to stop the intense itching as no OTC cream worked.
We have never seen any insect bite like this before. We had a colder than normal winter, cooler than normal summer with a lot more rain. For the Memphis TN and surrounding areas.
Our friends were down from NY near Buffalo and 2 of them had the same type bites, after they did the Beale street pub crawling.
Bed bugs and chiggers itch like this. I had the same experience and it lasted over a week except I was in a hotel in Kansas. If you went to bed and they weren’t there and woke up with them, most likely bed bugs
DDT. It made bedbugs an endangered species in the USA. Had to go.
excuse me....is that sarcasm or do you agree with removing ddt.
Bring back DDT.
And here come the DDT lovers again who claim it’s harmless. The same folks who probably still believe cigarette smoking isn’t harmful.
More DDT = fewer birds.
Fewer birds = MORE disease carrying insects.
More insects = MORE harmful artificial chemicals that poison our water, land, and food sources, both animal and vegetable.
/s
Thanks for the ping.
I’ve always liked winter better than summer and something like this validates my choice.
.
Thank’ee.
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