EEE symptoms, what to look for
Symptoms off EEE typically appear from four to 10 days after the bite of an infected mosquito, according to the CDC. The infection can be either systemic or encephalitic, which involves the swelling of the brain. Some people who contract EEE shows no symptoms at all.
In those who develop a systemic infection, symptoms can appear suddenly and last up to two weeks. They include:
- Chills
- Fever
- Malaise
- Joint and muscle pain
In people who develop the encephalitic infection, the following symptoms typically follow after a few days of systemic illness:
- Fever
- Headache
- Irritability and restlessness
- Drowsiness, disorientation
- Anorexia
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Cyanosis, which is bluish discoloration of the skin resulting from poor circulation or inadequate oxygenation of the blood
- Convulsions
- Coma
Animals can get EEE, too. So far, seven cases have been confirmed in horses. The virus is 90% fatal in horses, though there is a vaccine to protect horses that is not available for humans.
