EASTERN EQUINE ENCEPHALITIS

Course overview

EASTERN EQUINE ENCEPHALITIS (EEE) IS ONE OF THE MOST SEVERE ARBOVIRAL ENCEPHALITIS AFFECTING AMERICA. CURRENTLY CONSIDERED AN EMERGING DISEASE SHOWING CONSISTENTLY INCREASE INCIDENCE ACROSS A WIDER POPULATION. IN THE UNITED STATES, BETWEEN SIX TO EIGHT CASES ARE ANNUALLY REPORTED, PREDOMINANTLY BETWEEN MAY THROUGH OCTOBER, MOSTLY IN FLORIDA, GEORGIA, MARYLAND, WISCONSIN, AND NEW JERSEY. THIS VIRUS HAS ALSO BEEN CONSIDERED A POTENTIAL BIOTERRORISM WEAPON GIVEN ITS AIRBORNE TRANSMISSION. THE CASE-FATALITY RATE DESCRIBED IS 30%, WITH NEUROLOGIC SEQUELAE SEEN IN 50% OF SURVIVORS. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE EPIDEMIOLOGY PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT, AND OUTCOME OF EASTERN EQUINE ENCEPHALITIS. IT HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF AN INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN DETECTING OUTBREAKS AND ALSO IN MANAGING THIS COMPLEX AND UNCOMMON CONDITION.