Eastern Equine Encephalitis Caution Issued At Joint Base

JOINT BASE McGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, NJ — Authorities at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst have warned residents and employees of the base that a mosquito at the base tested positive for Eastern equine encephalitis.

The notice was posted Thursday on the base's Facebook page, and comes as the number of animal cases of the mosquito-borne illness are increasing in New Jersey.

As of Sept. 5, nine horses and an alpaca have been euthanized in 2019 after contracting the disease, including five horses in Ocean County, according to the New Jersey Department of Agriculture. Agriculture officials noted: "The virus cycles between birds and mosquitoes with horses, camelids and humans being incidental hosts. EEE infections in horses and alpacas are not a significant risk factor for human infection because horses and camelids (like humans) are considered 'dead-end' hosts for the virus."

Following the news that a mosquito in Union County tested positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis, public health professionals at JBMDL discovered a mosquito on the installation also tested positive for the disease, the base statement said.

"Only one mosquito was found to be infected with EEE, and transmission to humans is rare, but JB MDL leadership is taking all appropriate actions to mitigate the issue," the statement said.

Public health professionals recommend the following methods to prevent contracting mosquito-borne EEE:

• Limit time outside especially during dawn and dusk and at night.
• Use DEET on exposed skin.
• Wear clothing that protects the arms and legs when outside. If possible, tuck pant legs into shoes or socks.
• Clothing can also be treated with permethrin (a mosquito repellent that is available at sporting goods, camping, and hunting stores). Some utility uniforms will be pre-treated with permethrin. Uniform labels will provide the specific information about pre-treatment.
• Eliminate sources of standing water. If the sources of standing water are at your workplace, report them to supervisors for abatement.
• Ensure that window/door screens are in good repair.

EEE is a very rare but serious mosquito-borne disease. There have been some positive mosquito cases and one human case seen this summer in New Jersey. There have been no human cases this year at JB MDL.

Milder symptoms that can be associated with EEE include chills, fever, body aches, and fatigue. In some cases, the milder form of the illness will progress to more severe symptoms to include severe headache, irritability, drowsiness, vomiting, diarrhea, lack of appetite, and convulsions. Anyone who believes they may have contracted EEE should consult their health care provider for proper diagnosis.

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