14 horses dead of EEE; CDC urges precautions
9/18/09 | 6 comments

14 horses dead of EEE; CDC urges precautions


By Meg Haskell
BDN Staff

A total of 14 horses in Maine have died in recent weeks from Eastern equine encephalitis, and Maine’s top public health officer said Thursday that all Maine people must guard against the deadly virus, which is transmitted by the bite of a mosquito.

“We are extraordinarily fortunate that thus far we have not confirmed any cases in humans,” said Dr. Dora Anne Mills, director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Mills said at a press conference Thursday in Augusta that the latest horse to die was in the York County town of Acton. Other horses have died in Cumberland, Kennebec, Penobscot and Waldo counties.

“There is not one area of high risk,” Mills said. But the areas where horses have died have all been near boggy areas, including cedar swamps and hardwood wetlands where mosquitoes breed, she said. None of the affected horses had been vaccinated against EEE.

At least five of the horses died in Waldo County in the towns of Unity, Thorndike and Troy. Mills said that area, in particular, should take the mosquito threat seriously. But she stressed that all areas of the state are at risk for the EEE virus, which is nearly 100 percent fatal in unvaccinated horses.

In humans, for whom there is no vaccine, EEE is about 30 percent fatal with half of all survivors suffering permanent neurological damage.

Mills, who hails from Farmington, expressed hope that Mainers will undergo a cultural change in their thinking about mosquitoes.

“People in Maine historically just don’t wear repellent, and mosquito bites have been considered a rite of passage,” she said.

She said the Maine CDC is urging schools to reschedule evening sporting events to daytime hours, when mosquitoes are not out in force. She said participants and spectators should wear DEET-containing repellents, long pants and long-sleeved shirts for any evening games and other activities.

Mosquito control must be a concern for Maine’s upcoming country fairs, Mills said, including the Fryeburg Fair, the Farmington Fair, the Cumberland Fair and the Common Ground Country Fair in Unity, which is sponsored by the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association. Mills said professional pest management companies will work with all fair organizers to help reduce mosquito numbers. Pesticide applications are only one aspect of mosquito control, she said; others include erecting netting barriers and draining areas of standing water.

mhaskell@bangordailynews.net

990-8291

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Comments
6 comments on this item
On 9/18/09 at 6:14 AM, 15wbulb wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Let me see if i have this right. Keep away from mosquitos, wear a repellent with DEET, Keep away from swamps and boggy areas. Yep, sounds like the state has done all it can. It's up to us now. Wouldn't it be prudent to require all horses in the state to be vaccinated as we are required to vaccinate dogs for rabies? But again if horses were vaccinated and none died from EEE then there would be no problem, thus we would never hear about the possible infection of the virus in humans now would we. And i have been all worried about H1N1 and Lyme disease...............................

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On 9/18/09 at 7:27 AM, angelwings wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Perhaps a bit more information is needed on how the disease is spread is needed for some!

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On 9/18/09 at 8:39 AM, nelady wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

My mother has been trying for weeks to get the vaccination for her horse and has been told that it's unavailable.

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On 9/18/09 at 10:44 AM, Mainewoman99 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

To: 15wbulb: Yes, all horses need to be vaccinated against EEE, and I wish that was the case. However, even if that were done it does not mean we would hear the end of humans at risk for this disease. The misquitos are getting the virus by biting infected fowl such as pheasants, partridge, quail, etc.. and then transmitting it to horses. The risk to humans comes when an infected misquito bites us. Unfortunately, there is no human vaccine for EEE. Scary stuff!

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On 9/18/09 at 11:48 AM, wspahn wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

"Mills, who hails from Farmington, expressed hope that Mainers will undergo a cultural change in their thinking about mosquitoes." Yes, that's what we need, another thing to be afraid will kill us.

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On 9/18/09 at 1:43 PM, tarish wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

My Dad died of EEE last October. He went from sound mind and body to a vegatative state within 24-hours of the onset of symtoms. He died just five weeks later. I feel strongly he contracted this very aggressive disease in the state of Maine. Although he spent little time in NH, therefore we cannot say for sure. BUT, Yes 15wbulb it is a major responsibility of your own to take precautions, as is the state, city and towns. Like you, I was dissapointed in the state and the town in which my dad spent a great deal of time were sort of pointing responsibility at each other. What I learned is you and all individuals are a VERY IMPORTANT role member in protecting yourselves and your children. There has been ample amount of educational material out there. You can also visit the CDC website for steps to take to help prevent you and your family from this horror.

Best wishes

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