State health officials say they have identified the first batches of mosquitoes to test positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) this year. The batches were found in the towns of Newton and Sandown, which are both in Rockingham County.
EEE was first identified in New Hampshire in August 2004.
Of 4,135 mosquito batches tested for EEE and West Nile Virus this year in New Hampshire, state health officials say 29 mosquito batches have tested positive for West Nile virus, in addition to the two positive batches of EEE in Newton and Sandown. Keene was one of the municipalities where a mosquito sample tested positive for West Nile virus.
Symptoms of EEE virus often appear four to 10 days after being bitten by a mosquito carrying the virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People who get sick from EEE can develop a flu-like illness, including fever, headache, weakness, and muscle and joint pains. A more serious central nervous system infection can develop such as meningitis and encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), according to the CDC.
EEE typically causes a more serious disease than West Nile virus and carries a high mortality rate for those who contract the serious encephalitic form of the illness, the CDC said. There is no specific treatment for the disease.
Anyone with questions about mosquito-borne diseases, including EEE, can call the New Hampshire Bureau of Infectious Disease Control at 271-4496.
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