Via Health.com: Cases of Rare But Deadly Encephalitis Rising Among Kids, Report Finds. Excerpt:
Although still rare, the extremely serious disease known as Eastern equine encephalitis may be affecting more people than before.
In a recent review of two epidemics of Eastern equine encephalitis since the mid-2000s, researchers found 15 cases of the mosquito-borne illness among children in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Normally, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention records about five to 10 cases a year nationwide.
“This virus is rare, but it’s among the world’s most dangerous viruses, and it’s in your own backyard,” said lead review author Dr. Asim Ahmed, an infectious disease specialist at Children’s Hospital Boston.
In 2012 alone, Massachusetts had seven documented cases of Eastern equine encephalitis, which is the highest number of infections reported since 1956. What’s more, the first human case ever in Vermont was reported in 2012. And, public health surveillance indicates that the virus that causes Eastern equine encephalitis may now have traveled as far north as Maine and Nova Scotia, Canada.
Results of the review are published in the February issue of the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.The February issue is not yet online; I'll link to the article when it appears.
