EEE appears to be transmitted from bird populations to mammals, such as horses and humans, through the activity of the culiseta melanura mosquito and possibly other mosquitoes. There are few reliable statistics for the human exposure to the virus. Only a handful of people, who exhibit extreme symptoms, are known to infected each year. It is believed that many others are exposed to the virus but suffer slight or no noticeable symptoms.
Last year, when EEE was detected in mosquito testing in swampy areas of Whiting, two area residents died from EEE. Equine livestock is typically vaccinated against the disease. There is no vaccination for humans.
Three clinics are scheduled in the area to draw small blood samples from volunteer adults:
- April 23, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Brandon Senior Center, 1591 Forest Dale Road.
- May 14, noon to 7 p.m., Sudbury Town Hall.
- May 29, noon to 7 p.m., Whiting Town Hall.
Volunteers must be age 12 and older and must have lived at their current residence in one of the three towns since June 1, 2012. No advance sign-up is required. All results will be kept confidential. Participants will remain anonymous and will not be notified if EEE virus antibodies, indicative of exposure to the virus, are found. No other testing will be performed on the blood samples.
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