The Associated Press: Central NY resident has rare brain virus

Central NY resident has rare brain virus

(AP) – 2 days ago

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Health officials say a central New York resident has been diagnosed with Eastern Equine Encephalitis, a rare and potentially fatal brain infection spread by mosquitoes.

Gary Sauda of the Onondaga County Health Department in Syracuse says the case is the first reported human case of the disease in the area since 1983. He says the person is an adult and has been hospitalized. Sauda had no other information.

Tests of mosquito pools have shown widespread presence of the EEE virus this summer in Onondaga and Oswego counties. The Onondaga County Health Department says it will spray the Cicero Swamp and surrounding areas Monday to reduce the mosquito population.

The Centers for Disease Control says an average of five human cases of the disease occur each year in the U.S.

Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Here’s hoping they get this wiped out. I would not want to have to worry about EEE anytime I saw a mosquito. I’m fortunate to live in an area that aggressively sprays for mosquitoes, but then, we have to, if we didn’t they would rapidly multiply and completely exsanguinate us.