A father had to fight for his life after contracting three mosquito-borne viruses at the same time in a surprisingly rare case.
Joe Casey, 55, was in a coma for three weeks after being bitten in his New Hampshire hometown in August; When he woke up he couldn’t walk or talk.
The father of four contracted eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), West Nile virus and St. Louis encephalitis, presumably from a mosquito carrying all three pathogens.
Doctors were surprised because, combined, the three viruses only infect about 1,000 Americans each year.
The toll of fighting all three diseases devastated Casey’s immune system, causing his brain to swell from excess fluid, putting intense pressure on brain cells.
Joe Casey (pictured), 55, fell into a coma in August after being infected with the deadly mosquito-borne diseases Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), West Nile virus and St. Louis encephalitis.
Casey told WCAX: ‘Don’t underestimate the size of the villain here. You just have to be ready and be prepared.’
This week, days after Casey was finally released from the hospital, he urged Americans to remain vigilant about disease-ridden mosquitoes, which are increasingly common in the United States.
he said WCAX: ‘Don’t underestimate the size of the villain here. “You just have to be ready and prepared.”
He also urged parents to use mosquito repellent sprays outside for themselves and their children. It is unclear if he was wearing any repellent when he was bitten.
EEE is a virus that circulates in areas with freshwater swamps, such as the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, the Great Lakes, and the Caribbean.
Mosquitoes transmit the disease to mammals such as horses and humans, and humans cannot transmit the disease to each other.
However, the virus is extremely rare in humans, with just under a dozen cases a year.
One in three EEE patients is expected to die, and those who survive often face a range of long-term effects such as brain damage, personality changes, seizures, intellectual disability and paralysis due to brain swelling.
So far this year, 16 Americans have been infected with EEE, including fellow New Hampshire native Steven Perry. The 41-year-old man died in mid-August after becoming the first human case in the state in 10 years.
Several Americans have died this year from mosquito-borne diseases such as EEE. EEE is transmitted only through mosquitoes and kills up to one in three patients.
The map above shows the counties where EEE has been detected so far this year. Dark blue areas represent locations with human cases.
Casey spent three weeks in a coma and another seven weeks in intensive physiotherapy, as the illness prevented him from walking or talking. He now warns others to remain alert to protect themselves from mosquitoes.
Casey also tested positive for St. Louis encephalitis, which affects only a couple dozen Americans a year.
Transmitted by mosquitoes in North and South America, humans can become infected when mosquitoes feed on infected birds and bite people.
The United States reported 20 human cases last year. Up to one in five patients die from the disease.
Lastly, Casey was found to have antibodies to the West Nile virus, which hospitalized Dr. Anthony Fauci over the summer.
He said that while he doesn’t remember much, he does remember that “I’ve never felt so bad in my life.”
Cases of this mosquito-borne disease have increased in recent years, with around 2,500 cases recorded last year, more than double the 1,130 in 2022.
However, experts say these numbers are likely very low because most people who contract the virus are not tested for it.
Every year there are about 150 deaths from this disease. In 2024, 289 cases have been reported so far in 33 states.