Case of fatal eastern equine encephalitis

• Main Authors: Evan P. Dexter, Donn D. Dexter, Christopher W. Lindsay, Reichard, R. Ross, Larry Lutwick
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2021-01-01
• Series: IDCases
• Subjects: arbovirus; encephalitis; mosquito borne; MRI imaging; climate change
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214250921002444

Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) is a rare and very serious arbovirus that is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes. When symptomatic, patients with this condition are typically seriously ill and the fatality rate is high. We present a fatal case of EEE that exhibited classic symptoms and findings. Included are high quality MRI images that show the classic radiographic findings of this infection. In addition to confirmatory laboratory findings, the case report includes pathologic specimens from brain tissue obtained at autopsy. Perhaps due to climate change and human encroachment on mosquito habitat, there is a westward spread of EEE in the United States.