Press Releases
09/01/2023
State Reports First Positive Mosquitoes for EEE Virus in Thompson, CT
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Dr. Philip Armstrong
The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
123 Huntington St.
New Haven, CT 06511
Phone: 203-974-8510 Email: philip.armstrong@ct.gov
New Haven, CT – The State of Connecticut Mosquito Management Program (MMP) announced that mosquitoes trapped in Thompson on August 24 tested positive for eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus. These results represent the first EEE positive mosquitoes identified in the state by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) this year. The mosquitoes were Culiseta melanura, a predominately bird-biting species. Connecticut residents are reminded to protect themselves from mosquito bites and mosquito-borne diseases.
“The recent detection of EEE virus and continued spread of West Nile virus is cause for concern as conditions are suitable for further build-up of virus in the coming weeks,” said Dr. Philip Armstrong, Medical Entomologist at CAES. "We will continue to closely monitor mosquitoes for virus amplification, and we encourage everyone to take simple measures, such as wearing mosquito repellent and covering bare skin, especially during dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active."
To reduce the risk of being bitten by mosquitoes, residents should:
- Minimize time spent outdoors between dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.
- Consider the use of mosquito repellents containing an EPA-registered active ingredient, including DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-methane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone when it is necessary to be outdoors.
- Wear shoes, socks, long pants, and a long-sleeved shirt when outdoors for long periods of time, or when mosquitoes are more active. Clothing should be light-colored and loose-fitting and made of tightly woven materials that keep mosquitoes away from the skin.
- Be sure door and window screens are tight-fitting and in good repair.
- Use mosquito netting when sleeping outdoors or in an unscreened structure and to protect infants when outdoors.
EEE is a rare but serious illness in humans, with 4-8 cases reported in a typical year in the U.S. The last major outbreak occurred in 2019, involving 38 human cases nationally with 19 cases occurring in New England. EEE is the most severe mosquito-transmitted disease in the U.S., with approximately 40 percent mortality and significant brain damage in most survivors.
West Nile virus is the most common mosquito-borne viral disease in the United States and occurs every summer in Connecticut. One hundred eighty-one human cases of West Nile virus, including four fatalities, have been reported in Connecticut residents since 2000.
Connecticut Mosquito Management Program
The response to mosquito transmitted diseases in Connecticut is a collaborative inter-agency effort involving the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES), the Department of Public Health (DPH), the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Pathobiology at the University of Connecticut (UCONN). These agencies are responsible for monitoring mosquito populations and the potential public health threat of mosquito-borne diseases.
The CAES maintains a network of 108 mosquito-trapping stations in 88 municipalities throughout the state. CAES begins mosquito trapping and testing in June and continues into October. Positive findings are reported to local health departments and on the CAES website.
For information on WNV and other mosquito-borne diseases, what can be done to prevent getting bitten by mosquitoes, the latest mosquito test results, and human infections, visit the Connecticut Mosquito Management Program website.