Case of fatal eastern equine encephalitis

Evan P Dexter; Donn D Dexter; Christopher W Lindsay; Reichard R Ross; Larry Lutwick

doi:10.1016/j.idcr.2021.e01288

Case of fatal eastern equine encephalitis

IDCases. 2021 Sep 28:26:e01288. doi: 10.1016/j.idcr.2021.e01288. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Evan P Dexter¹, Donn D Dexter², Christopher W Lindsay³, Reichard R Ross⁴, Larry Lutwick⁵

Affiliations

¹ University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, USA.
² Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic Health System, NWWI, USA.
³ Department of Radiology, MCHS NWWI, USA.
⁴ Department of Laboratory Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
⁵ Department of Infectious Disease, MCHS NWWI, USA.

Abstract

Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) is a rare and very serious arbovirus that is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes. When symptomatic, patients with this condition are typically seriously ill and the fatality rate is high. We present a fatal case of EEE that exhibited classic symptoms and findings. Included are high quality MRI images that show the classic radiographic findings of this infection. In addition to confirmatory laboratory findings, the case report includes pathologic specimens from brain tissue obtained at autopsy. Perhaps due to climate change and human encroachment on mosquito habitat, there is a westward spread of EEE in the United States.

Keywords: MRI imaging; arbovirus; climate change; encephalitis; mosquito borne.

Publication types

Case Reports