Florida Residents, Tourists Warned About Mosquito-Borne Virus That Causes Brain Swelling
(CBSMiami/CNN) — There is a new warning in Florida about the Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV), a mosquito-borne virus that causes brain swelling in humans.
Florida health officials say there is an uptick in the number of cases.
Several sentinel chickens tested positive for EEE, which can spread to humans via infected mosquitoes and cause brain infection and swelling, the Florida Department of Health in Orange County said in a Thursday statement.
Sentinel chickens are fowl that are tested regularly for the West Nile virus and EEE. Their blood can show the presence of the diseases, but they don't suffer from the effects of the viruses.
Following the positive tests for the sentinel chickens in Orange County, the health department said "the risk of transmission to humans has increased."
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