Adult dies after eastern equine encephalitis infection, New Hampshire health officials say

A New Hampshire resident who tested positive for the mosquito-borne infection eastern equine encephalitis virus has died, health authorities in the state said.

The Hampstead resident's infection was the first in the state in a decade, the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services said Tuesday. The resident, identified as an adult, had been hospitalized due to severe central nervous system symptoms, the department said.

About a third of people who develop encephalitis from the virus die from the infections, and survivors can suffer lifelong mental and physical disabilities. There is no vaccine or antiviral treatment available. There are typically about 11 human cases of eastern equine encephalitis in the United States per year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Mosquito precautions advised

In Canada, the first reported human case of the disease was in 2016. But local public health officials in Ottawa say a horse recently tested positive. They encourage residents to:

• Use insect repellent.
• Wear light-coloured long pants and long-sleeves.
• Make sure windows and doors have screens.
• Remove or empty standing-water sites around your home 

There were three cases of the virus in humans in New Hampshire in 2014, and two of those resulted in fatalities. The state health department said the virus, which is rare but serious, has also been detected in one horse and several mosquito batches in New Hampshire this summer.

The virus has also appeared in neighbouring states this summer, with cases in humans in Massachusetts and Vermont, the New Hampshire health department said.

The virus can cause flu-like symptoms and lead to severe neurological disease, along with inflammation of the brain and membranes around the spinal cord.

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Wary of eastern equine encephalitis, a deadly virus spread by mosquitoes, some Massachusetts communities have taken measures to prevent further spread — including closing parks after dusk and restricting outdoor activities.

Dr. Michael Libman, a professor of infectious diseases at McGill University in Montreal who studies tropical and travel-related illnesses, said Canadians shouldn't panic.

"Outbreaks of this particular disease in United States and in New England seem to be only very small handfuls of cases," Libman said.

The Public Health Agency of Canada monitors mosquito-borne diseases, but unlike West Nile virus, cases of eastern equine encephalitis in humans aren't required to be reported to the agency.