Eastern equine encephalomyelitis
Virus classification
Group: Group IV ((+)ssRNA) Family: Togaviridae Genus: Alphavirus Species: Eastern equine encephalitis virus

Eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus (EEE), commonly called sleeping sickness or "Triple E", is a zoonotic alphavirus and arbovirus present in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. EEEV was first recognised in Massachusetts, USA in 1831 when 75 horses died of encephalitic illness. Epizootics in horses have continued to occur regularly in USA. EEE is found today in the eastern part of the country. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (700x876, 226 KB) Colourised transmission electron micrograph (TEM) depicting a salivary gland that had been extracted from a mosquito, which was infected by the Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus, which has been colorized red; magnified 83,900x. ... Virus classification involves naming and placing viruses into a taxonomic system. ... An RNA virus is a virus that either uses RNA as its genetic material, or whose genetic material passes through an RNA intermediate during replication. ... Genera Alphavirus Rubivirus The Togaviridae are a family of viruses, including the following genera: Genus Alphavirus; type species: Sindbis virus, Eastern equine encephalitis virus, Western equine encephalitis virus, Ross River virus, Onyongnyong virus Genus Rubivirus; type species: Rubella virus The genome of the Togaviridae viruses is a linear... Alphavirus belong to the family Togaviridae along with Rubella The Alphavirus beloged to the gamecube family The alpha virus lives in a womans heart The alaphavirus came on an alphasmart from China in 2,500 B.C. ... Zoonosis (pronounced as zoo-on-no-sis) is any infectious disease that may be transmitted from animals, both wild and domestic, to humans. ... Alphavirus belong to the family Togaviridae along with Rubella The Alphavirus beloged to the gamecube family The alpha virus lives in a womans heart The alaphavirus came on an alphasmart from China in 2,500 B.C. ... Arbovirus is a shortened name given to viruses that are transmitted by arthropods, or arthropod-borne viruses [1]. Dengue fever Ross River virus Vesicular stomatitis virus West Nile virus Yellow fever Tick-borne Encephalitis Japanese Encephalitis La Crosse Encephalitis Murray Valley encephalitis virus St. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Binomial name Equus caballus Linnaeus, 1758 The horse (Equus caballus, sometimes seen as a subspecies of the Wild Horse, Equus ferus caballus) is a large odd-toed ungulate mammal, one of ten modern species of the genus Equus. ... Encephalitis is an acute inflammation of the brain, commonly caused by a viral infection. ...

The causal agent, EEE, was first isolated from infected horse brains in 1933. In 1938, the first confirmed human cases were identified when thirty children died of encephalitis in northeastern USA. These cases coincided with outbreaks in horses in the same regions. The fatality rate in humans infected with EEE is 35%.

EEE is capable of infecting a wide range of animals including mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians, but not all animals develop high enough levels of EEEV to be contagious to humans. The virus is maintained in birds primarily through Culiseta spp. mosquitoes and transmission to other species occurs via mosquitoes. Ticks, lice, and mites may also transmit EEE. EEEV can also be transmitted through exposure of the eyes, lungs or skin wounds to brain or spinal cord matter from infected animals. “Aves” redirects here. ... This article is about the insect; for the WWII aircraft see De Havilland Mosquito. ...

Symptoms in horses occur 1-3 weeks after infection and began with a fever that may reach as high as 106 degrees fahrenheit. The fever usually lasts for 24-48 hours. Nervous signs appear during the fever that include sensitivity to sound, period of excitement, and restlessness. Brain lesions appear causing drowsiness, drooping ears, circling, and abnormal gait. Paralysis follows causing the horse to have difficulty raising its head. The horses usually suffers complete paralysis and death 2-4 days after symptoms appear. Mortality rates in the eastern strain range 70-90% in horses.

The disease can be prevented in horses with the use of vaccinations. These vaccinations are usually given together with vaccinations for other diseases, most commonly WEE, VEE, and tetanus. Most vaccinations for EEE consist of the killed virus.

In 2006, several human cases of EEE were confirmed in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, prompting public safety fears after several fatalities. Five human cases including 1 death have been reported in Massachusetts. Authorities have sprayed regions of Massachusetts by airplane twice during the summer of 2006.: [1][2]

The CDC web page with more complete information: [3]

EEEV is closely related to Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus and Western equine encephalitis virus. Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus is a mosquito-borne viral pathogen that causes Venezuelan equine encephalitis or encephalomyelitis (VEE). ... Western equine encephalitis (WEE) is a relatively uncommon viral infection caused by the WEE virus, an Alphavirus of the family Togaviridae. ...

Source for a portion of this information: Evans, Borton, Hintz, Van Vleck. The Horse. 1977. W.H. Freeman and Company. New York.