EEE: Rare But Serious

I recently visited my son up in New Hampshire. While not bad yet, the mosquitoes were just getting started. Because of the risk of both eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile, my son was concerned about the risk of disease to his son (my 15-month-old grandson). For both of these diseases, the real risk of being bitten by an infected mosquito and then developing the disease is very low. Unfortunately, if you are the one who does become ill, the consequences can be very grave. More than half of the people who get sick with EEE will likely die. To reduce the risk of infection, I suggested that the family wear clothing that covered most of the body, avoid times outside when mosquitoes are particularly bad, and wear a repellent, such as DEET. My son was concerned about any potential health risks associated with DEET and small children, so I checked with the American Academy of Pediatrics (see http://aapnews.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/e200399v1), and they recommended use of a product containing 10-30% DEET on children at least 2 months old to protect them against mosquito bites and the diseases that mosquitoes can transmit. As an added safety precaution, always follow label directions. An adult should always apply the repellent to the child, being careful to avoid the mouth and eyes as well as the hands, as the child is likely to rub their eyes or stick their hands in their mouths. While the risk of catching a mosquito-transmitted disease is rare, the consequences can be severe, and we should try to limit exposure to mosquitoes whenever possible.