Several communities in Massachusetts, including Middlesex County where Brandeis resides, are at risk of two mosquito-borne diseases: Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) virus and West Nile Virus, according to a Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) press release.

The risk for Waltham is low though the surrounding area is moderate, according to an email from Student Activities that alerted the Brandeis community to the risk of both diseases. Administrative Director of the Brandeis Health Center Diana Denning urged students to take basic precautionary measures in an interview with The Brandeis Hoot.

“People should be concerned enough to take reasonable precautions. Much like when you get in a car, you put on a seat belt—yet we get in the car,” Denning said. “That email that went out is really meant to just inform students about how to take care of themselves and how the school is supporting them.”

There have been no cases of EEE in Waltham or at Brandeis, said Denning, and the email was meant to inform students on how to best take care of themselves. Some concerned parents and students had contacted Denning, she said, asking about how best to take preventative measures. 

“Right now in Waltham, for EEE we are a low risk region and a moderate risk region for West Nile Virus,” Denning said.“I recommend that if you’re out in the evenings you wear long sleeve clothing and socks and use repellent.”

EEE, generally spread by mosquito bites, is a rare disease that can cause severe illness and death—especially in people under the age of 15—according to the DPH. West Nile Virus, which poses a higher risk for people over 50, can cause symptoms ranging from a mild fever to encephalitis or meningitis and is most commonly spread through mosquito bites.

The best way to protect from infections is avoiding exposure to mosquito bites. The CDC offers the following advice to prevent EEE:

• Use insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus on exposed skin and/or clothing. The repellent/insecticide permethrin can be used on clothing to protect through several washes. Always follow the directions on the package.
• Wear long sleeves and pants when weather permits.
• Have secure, intact screens on windows and doors to keep mosquitoes out.
• Eliminate mosquito breeding sites by emptying standing water from flower pots, buckets, barrels, and other containers. Drill holes in tire swings so water drains out. Keep children’s wading pools empty and on their sides when they aren’t being used.

People can take similar actions to protect from West Nile Virus, according to the DPH, and includes wearing long sleeved clothes, avoiding outdoor activities during dusk and dawn—when mosquitoes are most active—as well as using DEET and removing standing water.

Mosquito repellent is available at several on campus locations and events including athletic events, the front desk of Gosman Athletic Center, student activities events, the Shapiro Campus Center (SCC) information desk, the Dean of Students Office, through Community Advisors and in some retail outlets on campus, according to an email released to the student body. 

The Hoot confirmed that the campus convenience store and the bookstore does not sell bug spray, said employees from both locations.

Massachusetts has seen seven human cases of EEE and one death this season, according to a Sept. 10 press release by the DPH. Usually only five to 10 cases are reported annually in the United States, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), and only four to five percent of EEE virus infections result in the disease.

Of the thirty EEE cases in the U.S. nationally from 2009 to 2018, 42 percent were fatal, according to the CDC. Of the 67 cases of West Nile Virus reported in Massachusetts from 2000 to 2010, six people died, according to the DPH.

People infected with West Nile Virus usually take two to six days before developing symptoms, according to the CDC. Those infected with EEE usually take four to 10 days before developing symptoms and, according to the CDC, there are limited treatment options.

“There is no specific treatment for EEE. Antibiotics are not effective against viruses, and no effective antiviral drugs have been discovered. Severe illnesses are treated by supportive therapy, which may include hospitalization, respiratory support, I.V. fluids and prevention of other infections.”

While 80 percent of people exposed to West Nile Virus will exhibit no symptoms, 20 percent will have fever, headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting, rash and sometimes swollen lymph glands, according to the DPH.

Less than one percent of those infected will develop severe illness, including encephalitis or meningitis.

The symptoms of encephalitis and meningitis can include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis, according to the DPH. People who experience these symptoms almost always need to be hospitalized, according to the DPH, and though the symptoms may only last several weeks neurological effects can be permanent.

Of the less than one percent infected who develop a severe illness, approximately 10 percent will die from the infection, according to the DPH.