Emergence of eastern encephalitis in Massachusetts.
Abstract: The 20th century emergence in Massachusetts of zoonotic eastern encephalitis was interpreted in terms of recorded environmental change. The main mosquito vector of the infection, Cs. melanura, appears to have been scarce in eastern North America before the 1930s. Its relative scarcity resulted from destruction of the swamps that had been lumbered or drained for farming in the 18th and 19th centuries. When swamps matured once again early in the 1900s, the formation of subsurface pools of water beneath mature trees would have increased the availability of breeding sites for this mosquito. Transmission would have further been enhanced by the simultaneous proliferation of wetland-roosting robins and the extinction of such vagile birds as the passenger pigeon. Although numerous horses were maintained in Massachusetts at the time, no outbreaks of "equine sleeping sickness" came to public notice between the 1830s and the 1930s, when mature trees were scarce and the fauna was most disturbed. The severity of the first major outbreak in 1938 may have been potentiated by the absence of herd-immunity in a rapidly proliferating population of reservoir birds. These considerations suggest that recent landscape and faunal changes caused zoonotic EE to emerge in Massachusetts after waning for a century.
Publication Date: 1994-12-15 PubMed ID: 7840447DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1994.tb19866.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- U.S. Gov't
- P.H.S.
- Review
Summary
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The research investigates the emergence of Eastern Encephalitis, a zoonotic disease, in Massachusetts during the 20th century, linking it with environmental changes like resurgence of swamps, fauna alterations, and the possible decrease in herd-immunity.
Research Context
- The study seeks to understand the rise of Eastern Encephalitis, an illness passed from animals to humans, in Massachusetts and correlate it to environmental transformations.
- Cs. melanura, the primary mosquito that spreads the infection, was relatively scarce in eastern North America before the 1930s, possibly attributable to the reduction of swamps which were lumbered or drained for farming.
- The illness’s sudden emergence in the 20th century is being analysed against the backdrop of the recovering state of the swarps and changes in the animal population.
Key Findings
- As the swamps rejuvenated in the early 20th century, creation of subsurface water pools beneath mature trees surged, providing ideal breeding grounds for these mosquitoes, aiding virus transmission.
- The study also points out an increased number of water-dwelling robins and the extinction of migrant birds like the passenger pigeon during the same timeframe, which might have enhanced the transmission process.
- Despite having these mosquitoes and the presence of a large horse population in Massachusetts, the outbreak of “equine sleeping sickness,” associated with Eastern Encephalitis, did not occur from the 1830s to the 1930s. The researchers attribute this to the scarcity of mature trees and disturbances in the fauna during this period.
Outbreaks and Potential Causes
- The severity of the first major outbreak in 1938 could be attributed to the lack of herd-immunity within the fast-growing population of reservoir birds.
- The research highlights the significant role of both landscape alterations, such as the rise and fall of swamplands, and changes in local fauna, which together could have prompted the zoonotic Eastern Encephalitis to resurface in Massachusetts after lying dormant for a century.
Cite This Article
APA
Komar N, Spielman A.
(1994).
Emergence of eastern encephalitis in Massachusetts.
Ann N Y Acad Sci, 740, 157-168.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.1994.tb19866.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Tropical Public Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Culicidae / virology
- Disease Outbreaks
- Disease Reservoirs
- Encephalitis, Arbovirus / epidemiology
- Encephalitis, Arbovirus / transmission
- Environment
- Humans
- Insect Vectors / virology
- Massachusetts / epidemiology
- Zoonoses
Grant Funding
- AI 19693 / NIAID NIH HHS
Citations
This article has been cited 14 times.- Armstrong PM, Andreadis TG. Ecology and Epidemiology of Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus in the Northeastern United States: An Historical Perspective.. J Med Entomol 2022 Jan 12;59(1):1-13.
- Petruff TA, McMillan JR, Shepard JJ, Andreadis TG, Armstrong PM. Increased mosquito abundance and species richness in Connecticut, United States 2001-2019.. Sci Rep 2020 Nov 6;10(1):19287.
- Sherwood JA, Stehman SV, Howard JJ, Oliver J. Cases of Eastern equine encephalitis in humans associated with Aedes canadensis, Coquillettidia perturbans and Culiseta melanura mosquitoes with the virus in New York State from 1971 to 2012 by analysis of aggregated published data.. Epidemiol Infect 2020 Apr 1;148:e72.
- Skaff NK, Armstrong PM, Andreadis TG, Cheruvelil KS. Wetland characteristics linked to broad-scale patterns in Culiseta melanura abundance and eastern equine encephalitis virus infection.. Parasit Vectors 2017 Oct 18;10(1):501.
- Garlick J, Lee TJ, Shepherd P, Linam WM, Pastula DM, Weinstein S, Schexnayder SM. Locally Acquired Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus Disease, Arkansas, USA.. Emerg Infect Dis 2016 Dec;22(12):2216-2217.
- Molaei G, Armstrong PM, Graham AC, Kramer LD, Andreadis TG. Insights into the recent emergence and expansion of eastern equine encephalitis virus in a new focus in the Northern New England USA.. Parasit Vectors 2015 Oct 9;8:516.
- Burkett-Cadena ND, Bingham AM, Hunt B, Morse G, Unnasch TR. Ecology of Culiseta Melanura and Other Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) from Walton County, FL, During Winter Period 2013-2014.. J Med Entomol 2015 Sep;52(5):1074-82.
- Molaei G, Armstrong PM, Abadam CF, Akaratovic KI, Kiser JP, Andreadis TG. Vector-Host Interactions of Culiseta melanura in a Focus of Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus Activity in Southeastern Virginia.. PLoS One 2015;10(9):e0136743.
- Yu GY, Wiley MR, Kugelman JR, Ladner JT, Beitzel BF, Eccleston LT, Morazzani EM, Glass PJ, Palacios GF. Complete coding sequences of eastern equine encephalitis virus and venezuelan equine encephalitis virus strains isolated from human cases.. Genome Announc 2015 Apr 23;3(2).
- Rochlin I, Ninivaggi DV, Hutchinson ML, Farajollahi A. Climate change and range expansion of the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) in Northeastern USA: implications for public health practitioners.. PLoS One 2013;8(4):e60874.
- Kelen PT, Downs JA, Burkett-Cadena ND, Ottendorfer CL, Hill K, Sickerman S, Hernandez J, Jinright J, Hunt B, Lusk J, Hoover V, Armstrong K, Unnasch RS, Stark LM, Unnasch TR. Habitat associations of eastern equine encephalitis transmission in Walton County Florida.. J Med Entomol 2012 May;49(3):746-56.
- Armstrong PM, Andreadis TG. Eastern equine encephalitis virus in mosquitoes and their role as bridge vectors.. Emerg Infect Dis 2010 Dec;16(12):1869-74.
- Diuk-Wasser MA, Molaei G, Simpson JE, Folsom-O'Keefe CM, Armstrong PM, Andreadis TG. Avian communal roosts as amplification foci for West Nile virus in urban areas in northeastern United States.. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2010 Feb;82(2):337-43.
- Chan NY, Ebi KL, Smith F, Wilson TF, Smith AE. An integrated assessment framework for climate change and infectious diseases.. Environ Health Perspect 1999 May;107(5):329-37.
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