PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — A rare but potentially deadly virus spread by mosquitoes has been detected in Pasco County.
This week, the health department issued a warning about a case of eastern equine encephalitis, or EEE.
“Eastern equine encephalitis is a very real concern,” said Adriane Rogers, who heads Pasco County’s mosquito control office.
County workers are usually alerted to outbreaks through sentinel chickens, whose blood is tested periodically for mosquito-borne diseases. But this week, it was another kind of bird — emus — that tipped them off.
Investigators say a private owner in central Pasco County found one of his emus dead on Monday and then another on Tuesday. Blood tests submitted by the veterinarian showed it was EEE.
“Within 30 or 45 minutes we were on site doing surveillance, looking for mosquito breeding, habitats, performing control efforts,” Rogers said.
Workers have been urgently testing the sentinel chickens, looking for mosquito larvae in local ponds and lakes and attacking adult mosquitos from the air and on the ground by spraying neighborhoods near the initial reported case.
“We’re doing everything we can [to limit] the potential for additional transmission back,” Rogers said.
Severe cases of EEE are rare, with just over a dozen spanning a decade in Florida. When humans get it, however, the outcome can be devastating.
“About 33% of people that contract Triple-E can actually die from it,” Rogers said. “There’s a very high mortality rate.”
Mosquito control workers say so far, this latest case of EEE appears to be concentrated in the central part of Pasco County. And although the mosquitoes themselves only have a range of a few miles, the birds they infect can travel quite a bit farther.
That makes it a concern for our entire Tampa Bay region.
“Birds do fly. They don’t respect county borders, just like the mosquitoes,” Rogers said. “And birds are migratory.”
Added Linda Olivas, who was spending time at a park outside with her daughter: “Yeah, I will put more mosquito spray, and I guess leggings or long sleeve clothing.”
“We do have a seasonal spray for mosquitoes. Try to help prevent it,” said Charlie Hanna, also at a local park. “We will keep a watchful eye for any symptoms.”
Even a mild case of EEE can leave people with severe flu-like symptoms.
Health workers advise wearing shoes, socks, long pants and sleeves. Also, avoid outdoor activities at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active. Rogers also recommends using an EPA-approved repellent such as those with DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus.
Mosquito control workers say they’re also concerned because this is considered unusually early in the season for them to detect a case of EEE.