Alert – Married father-of-four is fighting for life after getting bitten by a mosquito and testing positive for three mosquito-borne viruses including EEE – News Alerts

A married father-of-four has been left fighting for his life after getting bitten by a mosquito and testing positive for three mosquito-borne viruses including EEE.

Joe Casey, 54, from New Hampshire, has tested positive for antibodies for eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), the West Nile virus and St. Louis encephalitis after being bitten by a mosquito, according to his sister-in-law, Angela Barker.

‘But the CDC, the infectious disease doctors don’t know which one is making him this sick,’ she told CBS News.

Ms Barker said that Casey, who has four children with his wife Kim, got sick in early August and since developed swelling in the brain.

‘My brother-in-law is not a small man, and to see someone that you love be as sick as he is and not be able to talk, to move, to communicate for over three weeks is terrifying and gut-wrenching,’ she explained.

Joe Casey (pictured with his wife Kim), 54, from New Hampshire , has tested positive for antibodies for eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), the West Nile virus and St. Louis encephalitis after being bitten by a mosquito, according to his sister-in-law, Angela Barker

Ms Barker said that Casey, who has four children with his wife Kim, got sick in early August and since developed swelling in the brain (pictured: Joe Casey with Kim and his daughter)

She said that Casey will have to move into a long-term care and patient rehabilitation facility, where he can receive 24-hour care, after his stay at Exeter Hospital.

To help with the cost of his recovery, Ms Barker set up a fundraising page, which she said received a lot of support from the community.

St. Louis encephalitis

Most people infected with the St. Louis encephalitis virus do not have symptoms, but some may experience fever, headache, nausea, vomiting and tiredness.

Those infected can develop an inflammation of the brain and in rare cases, long-term disability or death can occur.

There are no vaccines to prevent or medicines to treat St. Louis encephalitis.

This comes amid a surge in concerns over mosquito-borne diseases in New England, as ten counties in Massachusetts have issued night-time curfew warnings to protect against viruses transmitted by the insects.

Several cities in the US are also spraying pesticides to deter mosquitoes, which may be becoming increasingly disease-ridden.

Officials are spraying the streets at night when people are less likely to be outside to reduce residents’ exposure to the chemicals, which can be harmful to breathe in or ingest. The doses will also be ‘ultra-low volume’.

Massachusetts, New York, Texas and California are among the states deploying pesticides to repel the increasingly disease-ridden insects.

In Massachusetts, towns in southern Worcester County and Plymouth County have taken an aggressive approach to fighting mosquito-borne illness this month after an 80-year-old man from Worcester County caught EEE – the state’s first human case since 2020.

To curb the spread of this virus, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health will spray the pesticide Anvil 10+10 from trucks and planes overnight, starting shortly after dusk and ending in the early morning.

In addition to pesticide spraying, officials in Oxford, MA instated a voluntary curfew urging residents to stay inside after 6p.m. to avoid mosquito bites.

And in Plymouth, MA, officials have ordered parks to close from dusk until dawn when mosquitoes are most active.

Public health departments will be spraying pesticides near these four cities to combat the spread of deadly mosquito-borne illnesses.

Cities will use trucks and planes to spray the mosquito-killing pesticides in areas with high disease risk

A number of Americans have died from mosquito-borne illnesses this year, including a New Hampshire man who died from EEE in August (file image)

Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE)

EEE is a rare disease among humans, with about 11 cases and several deaths recorded in the US every year -normally between July and September.

For comparison, among horses there are more than a hundred cases recorded every year.

Up to a third of patients die from the virus, which is often deadly because it progresses rapidly and targets the patient’s nerve cells, triggering a severe immune response.

There are also no specific vaccines or treatments against the virus.

In the early stages, patients may suffer from a fever, headache and joint pain.

But the virus quickly spreads to the brain causing inflammation – or brain swelling – which can lead to seizures, an altered mental state and paralysis.

Officials say that many of those who survive the infection are often left with severe brain damage and need round-the-clock care for the rest of their lives.

Meanwhile, New York City, Arlington, and San Jose will be battling a different disease: West Nile Virus. WNV is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the continental US.

A number of Americans have died from mosquito-borne illnesses this year, including a New Hampshire man who died from EEE in August. It was the state’s first human case in 10 years.

Steven Perry, 41, from Hampstead – about 40 miles outside Boston – became the first person in the state in 10 years to be infected with EEE.

He was rushed to the hospital on August 12 but was declared dead on August 19.

An autopsy revealed he was infected with ‘EEE’, which he must have caught from a mosquito bite.

Paying tribute to her brother, who had no underlying health conditions, his sister Susan said he was funny, upbeat and the ‘glue of the family’.

Writing a tribute in his obituary, the family said: ‘It is with heavy hearts that the family acknowledges that Steven left those that he loved far too soon after being stricken by a sudden and rare brain infection.

‘Steven was known for his kindness, sense of humor, and unwavering love for his family and friends.

‘He was a devoted son, brother, uncle and friend who brought joy and laughter to all who knew him.

‘Steven took great pride in his career as Director of Hampstead Nursing Services working alongside his mother for many years.

Steven Perry, 41, from Hampstead in New Hampshire, died after a seven-day battle with Eastern Equine Encephalitis

He was rushed to the hospital on August 12 after his family noticed he was acting strangely, but was declared dead on August 19 – a week later

A prominent figure who also got infected with a virus spread by mosquitoes is former White House Covid doctor Anthony Fauci, who was hospitalized with West Nile Virus in August

West Nile Virus

West Nile virus is a disease spread by mosquitoes, which carry it from birds.

It generally takes between three and 14 days for the disease to develop.

The West Nile virus is the most common mosquito-spread disease in the continental US, with a median of over 2,200 cases being reported every year, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

About 1,000 people are hospitalized each year with the most severe form of the disease, which if it spreads to the brain and nervous system, can cause brain swelling, brain damage and death with a 3-15 percent mortality rate.

There is no specific treatment for the virus or vaccine, but 80 percent of cases are mild, where sufferers may experience flu-like symptoms or rashes.

‘He was also an avid sports fan whose knowledge and passion for sports was beyond measure.

‘He was an avid golfer and enjoyed the game even more when playing with his nephews.’

It was not clear what symptoms Mr Perry had suffered, or when or where he had become infected.

A prominent figure who also got infected with a virus spread by mosquitoes is former White House Covid doctor Anthony Fauci, who was hospitalized with West Nile Virus in August.

Fauci, 83, who served on the White House Coronavirus Task Force, is expected to make a full recovery, a spokesperson told CNN, after he was hospitalized for six days with the virus.

Fauci, the former longtime director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, recovered from the virus at home.

Fauci himself addressed the West Nile virus back in 2004, when he was still NIAID director.

Responding to a question from someone on the online ‘Ask the White House’ forum, he wrote that the best way to prevent the virus is through mosquito control.

He added that there were ‘a number of promising candidates’ for a vaccine, but there remains no cure or inoculation for the virus over twenty years after he made this statement.