Chemical treatments pose a risk of promoting pesticide resistance, so carefully consider the chemicals used and alternate them regularly to avoid breeding resistant mosquitoes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nStable managers or horse owners must ensure that stables are not open to the elements and that horses undergo regular treatments with insect repellents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vaccination is the best way to prepare any horse for an EEE challenge. The American Association of Equine Practitioners considers vaccinations for EEE and WEE to be core prophylaxis for all horses living in or traveling to North America. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The EEE \/ WEE vaccines offer enough protection to prevent severe morbidity and mortality if administered annually or every six months in high-risk areas. Some studies have shown that vaccinating against EEE and WEE leads to possible cross-immunity against VEE.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The vaccine consists of two separate doses. The primary vaccine administration can occur at any time of the year, but the best time is towards the end of autumn or the beginning of spring. The second dose booster must occur two to four weeks after the primary vaccine date. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Is the Virus Dangerous?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Eastern equine encephalitis is dangerous because it has serious and life-threatening effects on humans. Horses cannot spread the disease to people, and people cannot infect one another. Only mosquitoes carry the virus and transfer the infection of EEE to mammalian hosts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although rare, the danger of the virus lies in the severity of the disease it causes. A third of people infected with EEE die, and those who survive often suffer from secondary chronic physical and neurological complications. Two-thirds of EEE patients recover, but they show signs of mild to severe brain damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
People at a high risk of contracting the virus live and work in outdoor settings or partake in regular outdoor activities in the vicinity of wooded swamp areas. People over the age of fifty and under the age of fifteen are more likely to develop a severe form of EEEV. Immunocompromised individuals face a death sentence if they contract the virus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are no vaccinations available for humans, so the only way to prevent infection with the EEE virus in endemic areas is to apply insect repellents, dress in long-sleeved shirts and pants when outdoors, and enforce environmental insect control measures. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Causes and Transmission<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The cause of sleeping sickness in horses is an alphavirus from the Family Togaviridae. The primary EEE vector is Culiseta melanura, <\/em>the black-tailed mosquito. The virus circulates among wild birds, rodents, and reptiles mainly. Humans and horses are incidental hosts as they cannot transmit the virus to other organisms.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe mosquitoes lay their eggs in wetlands, stagnant water sources, or swamps. The mosquitos bite an infected animal and transmit the virus to a human or equine host when they feed on their blood. Other biting insects, ticks, or nasal secretions can also transmit EEV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The geographical distribution of high-risk EEE areas ranges from Southern Texas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and the West Coast of Florida.<\/p>\n\n\n