Mapping Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus Risk on Equestrian Trails in Florida State Parks

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joni Downs ◽  
Mehrdad Vaziri ◽  
Abigail Lavallin ◽  
Kristi Miley
Keyword(s):  
Risk Model ◽  
Risk Index ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Encephalitis Virus ◽  
Transmission Risk ◽  
State Parks ◽  
Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus ◽  
Eastern Equine Encephalitis ◽  
Equine Encephalitis Virus ◽  
Index Model

Equestrian trail riding is a popular recreational activity but can expose horses and riders to arboviral diseases, such as Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus (EEEV). This study uses a geographic information system (GIS) -based risk index model to measure and map risk associated with EEEV transmission to horses on equine trails in State Parks across Florida. The risk model assesses EEEV transmission risk of individual trail locations on a continuous scale of 0.0 (no measurable risk) to 1.0 (maximal risk). Risk is evaluated based on the composition and configuration of habitat types that support vectors and hosts of the virus. The results suggest that visitors using equestrian trails in the Florida State Park System may potentially be exposed to high levels of EEEV risk during times that the virus is actively circulating. Accordingly, park management strategies are recommended for reducing transmission risk to both horses and riders in areas where risk is high.

scholarly journals Field Analysis of Biological Factors Associated With Sites at High and Low to Moderate Risk for Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus Winter Activity in Florida

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristi M Miley ◽  
Joni Downs ◽  
Nathan D Burkett-Cadena ◽  
Richard G West ◽  
Brenda Hunt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
Host Species ◽  
Risk Index ◽  
The United States ◽  
Encephalitis Virus ◽  
Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus ◽  
Moderate Risk ◽  
Eastern Equine Encephalitis ◽  
Culiseta Melanura ◽  
Equine Encephalitis Virus

Abstract Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) is the most pathogenic arbovirus endemic to the United States. Studies have demonstrated Florida’s role as a regional reservoir for the virus and its ability to support year-round transmission. Previous research has developed risk index models for mapping locations most at risk for EEEV transmission. We compared vector abundance, vector feeding behavior, potential host species, and fauna presence at high versus low–moderate risk sites during the winter and spring. Predicted high-risk sites had a significantly greater abundance of mosquitoes overall, including Culiseta melanura (Coquillett) (Diptera: Culicidae), the primary enzootic vector of EEEV. Twenty host species were identified from Cs. melanura bloodmeals, with the majority taken from avian species. Culiseta melanura largely fed upon the Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis (Passeriformes: Cardinalidae)), which accounted for 20–24.4% of the bloodmeals obtained from this species in years 1 and 2, respectively. One EEEV-positive mosquito pool (Cs. melanura) and nine EEEV seropositive sentinel chickens were confirmed during winter-spring collections from high-risk sites; no seropositive chickens nor mosquito pools were found at the low–moderate risk sites. These results suggest that high-risk sites for EEEV activity are characterized by habitats that support populations of Cs. melanura and which may also provide ample opportunities to feed upon Northern Cardinals. The overall low level of mosquito populations during the winter also suggests that control of Cs. melanura populations in winter at high-risk sites may prove effective in reducing EEEV transmission during the peak summer season.

scholarly journals 49. Clinical Characteristics of the 2019 Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus Outbreak in Michigan

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S154-S154
Author(s):  
Adam T Ladzinski ◽  
Matthew T Rumschlag ◽  
Aditya Mehta ◽  
Eric Edewaard ◽  
Pimpawan Boapimp ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
The United States ◽  
Encephalitis Virus ◽  
Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus ◽  
Radiographic Images ◽  
Eastern Equine Encephalitis ◽  
Male Predominance ◽  
Equine Encephalitis Virus ◽  
Neuroinvasive Disease ◽  
Neurologic Sequelae

Abstract Background Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus (EEEV) is a mosquito-borne alphavirus responsible for unpredictable outbreaks of severe neurologic disease in humans. While the vast majority of human EEEV infections are either asymptomatic or clinically nonspecific, a minority of patients develops neuroinvasive disease (EEE), which is a devastating illness with a mortality of at least 30%. No treatments are known to be effective. EEEV infection is relatively rare in the United States, with an annual average nationwide incidence of 7 cases between 2009 and 2018. However, 2019 was an exceptionally active year for human EEEV disease, yielding 38 nationwide confirmed cases, including 10 in Michigan, comprising the state’s largest outbreak to date. Methods EEE cases were identified by a regional network of physicians. Cases were defined by presentation with clinical symptoms of encephalitis, and by identification of EEEV IgM antibodies or RNA in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), or EEEV-specific IgM in serum as confirmed by plaque reduction neutralization test. Radiographic images were evaluated and clinical data abstracted through chart review and clinical follow-up where possible. Results Records from 7 patients were identified and reviewed. The median age was 64, with a male predominance, and all presented in August. Notably, commercial arboviral CSF serology was uniformly negative on the initial CSF sample, and diagnosis was not made until a mean of 23 days (range: 12–38 days) after presentation. Testing in public health laboratories yielded the diagnosis in 5 out of 7 cases. Imaging findings were heterogeneous, but most patients exhibited abnormal findings in the thalamus and/or basal ganglia, and one patient displayed prominent pons and midbrain abnormalities. 4 patients died, while 2 patients survived with severe neurologic sequelae, and 1 patient recovered without sequelae. One patient underwent a limited postmortem examination, which revealed diffuse meningoencephalitis and focal vascular necrosis. Conclusion EEE is a frequently fatal condition whose diagnosis is often delayed, and for which no effective treatments are known. Improved diagnostics are needed to facilitate further clinical studies of EEE and encourage the development of potential therapies. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

scholarly journals Active Circulation of Madariaga Virus, a Member of the Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus Complex, in Northeast Brazil

Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 983
Author(s):  
Laura H. V. G. Gil ◽  
Tereza Magalhaes ◽  
Beatriz S. A. S. Santos ◽  
Livia V. Oliveira ◽  
Edmilson F. Oliveira-Filho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
Case Fatality ◽  
Febrile Illness ◽  
Encephalitis Virus ◽  
Northeast Brazil ◽  
Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus ◽  
Eastern Equine Encephalitis ◽  
Vaccination Programs ◽  
Transmission Cycle ◽  
Equine Encephalitis Virus

Madariaga virus (MADV) is a member of the eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) complex that circulates in Central and South America. It is a zoonotic, mosquito-borne pathogen, belonging to the family Togaviridae. Disturbances in the natural transmission cycle of this virus result in outbreaks in equines and humans, leading to high case fatality in the former and acute febrile illness or neurological disease in the latter. Although a considerable amount of knowledge exists on the eco-epidemiology of North American EEEV strains, little is known about MADV. In Brazil, the most recent isolations of MADV occurred in 2009 in the States of Paraíba and Ceará, northeast Brazil. Because of that, health authorities have recommended vaccination of animals in these regions. However, in 2019 an equine encephalitis outbreak was reported in a municipality in Ceará. Here, we present the isolation of MADV from two horses that died in this outbreak. The full-length genome of these viruses was sequenced, and phylogenetic analyses performed. Pathological findings from postmortem examination are also discussed. We conclude that MADV is actively circulating in northeast Brazil despite vaccination programs, and call attention to this arbovirus that likely represents an emerging pathogen in Latin America.

scholarly journals Serosurveillance of Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus in Amphibians and Reptiles from Alabama, USA

2012 ◽  
Vol 86 (3) ◽  
pp. 540-544 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean P. Graham ◽  
Gregory White ◽  
Thomas R. Unnasch ◽  
Hassan K. Hassan ◽  
Taryn Chapman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Encephalitis Virus ◽  
Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus ◽  
Eastern Equine Encephalitis ◽  
Equine Encephalitis Virus

scholarly journals Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus Seroprevalence in Maine Cervids, 2012–2017

2020 ◽  
Vol 103 (6) ◽  
pp. 2438-2441
Author(s):  
Joan L. Kenney ◽  
Elizabeth Henderson ◽  
John-Paul Mutebi ◽  
Kali Saxton-Shaw ◽  
Angela Bosco-Lauth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Encephalitis Virus ◽  
Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus ◽  
Eastern Equine Encephalitis ◽  
Equine Encephalitis Virus
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