Mosquito Bite Causes EEE, Kills 79 Year Old Madison County Man

A Madison County Army veteran and longtime firefighter has passed away after contracting Eastern Equine Encephalitis (Triple E Virus).

Madison County offcials say 79-year-old George Baker Junior of Chittenango served the country and was chaplain of the Chittenango Fire Department where he was a member for over five decades.  Baker Junior's case was revealed last week and he'd been hospitalized before dying this week.  

Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) is a rare but very serious viral disease spread by mosquitoes. The disease is caused by transmission to humans (and animals like horses) through the bite of infected mosquitoes. The primary mosquito species that carry it are found in swampy or wooded areas, where birds serve as natural hosts for the virus. Humans and horses are considered “dead-end hosts” — meaning they can get sick but don’t usually spread the virus further.

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Symptoms of EEE can range from mild to severe, but the disease is notorious for its sudden, severe onset with early symptoms (usually appearing 4–10 days after a mosquito bite). Symptoms include:

•Fever and chills

•Headache

•Muscle and joint pain

•General malaise (feeling unwell)

Severe symptoms (when the infection progresses to encephalitis — brain swelling):

•High fever

•Stiff neck

•Severe headache

•Vomiting

•Seizures

•Altered mental status (confusion, disorientation)

•Coma

About one-third of people who develop severe EEE actual get fatally ill and die and survivors often have long-term neurological problems such as memory issues, personality changes, and seizures, according to the CDC. Currently, there is no specific treatment — only supportive hospital care (IV fluids, respiratory support, seizure control).

On average, about 11 human cases of EEE are reported per year in the U.S., according to the CDC.