Eastern equine encephalitis is a disease caused by a virus spread from infected mosquitoes that may cause inflammation to the brain. The viruses spread by the mosquitoes are called arboviruses. This virus is found in the eastern of the country as well as along the Great Lakes and the Gulf Coast. It is also occasionally found in Canada; there has been at least one human case reported in Ontario, in 2016.
The infected mosquitoes are commonly found in marshlands and swampy areas and often feed on birds. Birds act as reservoirs for the EEE virus and can become infected without showing signs of the illness. These reservoirs then pass the virus on to mosquitoes, which can spread it to horses and other mammals, including humans.
The virus was first identified in horses in 1933, and was isolated from human central nervous system tissue in 1938. Horses and humans are the most susceptible to the virus. A vaccine has been developed for horses, but no human vaccine is available.
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infographic by: horsefencedirect.com
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