Jamestown canyon virus

Other names

Eastern equine encephalitis, triple E

Summary

• Jamestown Canyon virus is spread to people by infected mosquitoes.
• The virus is found throughout much of the United States, but most cases are reported from the upper Midwest in the United States.
• Most cases occur from late spring through mid-fall.
• Fever, headache, and fatigue are common symptoms with Jamestown Canyon virus disease.
• Jamestown Canyon virus can rarely cause severe disease, including infection of the brain (encephalitis) or the lining around the brain (meningitis).
• There are no vaccines to prevent or medicines to treat Jamestown Canyon virus infection.
• Reduce your risk of infection by avoiding mosquito bites.

Symptoms

• Many people infected with Jamestown Canyon virus do not have symptoms.
• For people with symptoms, the time from mosquito bite to feeling sick ranges from a few days to 2 weeks.
• Initial symptoms can include fever, fatigue, and headache.
• Some people also have respiratory symptoms such as cough, sore throat, or runny nose.
• Jamestown Canyon virus can cause severe disease, including infection of the brain (encephalitis) or the membranes around the brain and spinal cord (meningitis).
• Symptoms of encephalitis or meningitis include stiff neck, confusion, loss of coordination, difficulty speaking, or seizures.
• About half of patients reported with Jamestown Canyon virus disease are hospitalized.
• Deaths associated with Jamestown Canyon virus infection are rare.

Diagnostic Testing

• Healthcare providers should consider Jamestown Canyon virus and other arboviral infections in patients with acute fever, meningitis, or encephalitis during spring through fall in the United States, particularly when tests are negative for other more common infections (e.g., herpes simplex virus, enteroviruses, West Nile virus).
• Diagnosis is usually made by serology, typically by a Jamestown Canyon virus-specific immunoglobulin (Ig) M test followed by a confirmatory plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT).
• However, it is not known how long IgM antibodies can be detected in serum following a Jamestown Canyon virus infection; therefore, a positive IgM antibody test may reflect past infection.
• Healthcare providers should contact their state or local health department for assistance with Jamestown Canyon virus testing, which is done at CDC and some state health departments.

Treatment

• Treatment of Jamestown Canyon virus disease is supportive only.
• Some patients diagnosed with the disease have required hospitalization but most patients recover without long-term sequelae.
• Deaths have been rare.
• The best way to prevent Jamestown Canyon virus infection is to avoid mosquito bites.
• Protective actions people can take include using an EPA-registered insect repellent and wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants when outdoors

Transmission

• Jamestown Canyon virus is spread to people by infected mosquitoes.

• Jamestown Canyon virus can be spread by many types of mosquitoes, depending on location and time of year.
• Mosquitoes become infected when they feed on deer and other animals that have the virus in their blood.
• Infected mosquitoes can then spread the virus to people and other animals by biting them.
• People do not develop high enough levels of the virus in their blood to infect mosquitoes and further spread the disease.

• Jamestown Canyon virus is not spread by coughing, sneezing, touching, or other contact with someone who is infected.

Prevention

• Jamestown Canyon virus spreads to people by infected mosquitoes.
• There is no vaccine to prevent Jamestown Canyon virus infection.
• The most effective way to avoid infection is to prevent mosquito bites.
• Use insect repellent and wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants.

• Protect yourself and your family from mosquito bites
• Can of mosquito repellent
• Use Insect Repellent
• Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellentsexternal with one of the active ingredients below.
• When used as directed, EPA-registered insect repellents are proven safe and effective, even for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

Insect repellents

• • DEET
  • Picaridin (known as KBR 3023 and icaridin outside the US)
  • IR3535
  • Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE)
  • Para-menthane-diol (PMD)
  • 2-undecanone

Tips for babies and children

• Adult applying insect repellent to a child’s face.
• Dress your child in clothing that covers arms and legs.
• Cover strollers and baby carriers with mosquito netting.
• When using insect repellent on your child:
• Always follow label instructions.
• Do not use products containing oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or para-menthane-diol (PMD) on children under 3 years old.
• Do not apply insect repellent to a child’s hands, eyes, mouth, cuts, or irritated skin.
• Adults: Spray insect repellent onto your hands and then apply to a child’s face.

Tips for everyone

• Always follow the product label instructions.
• Reapply insect repellent as directed.
• Do not spray repellent on the skin under clothing.
• If you are also using sunscreen, apply sunscreen first and insect repellent second.
• Natural insect repellents (repellents not registered with EPA)
• To protect yourself against diseases spread by mosquitoes, CDC and EPA recommend using an EPA-registered insect repellent.
• Choosing an EPA-registered repellent ensures the EPA has evaluated the product for effectiveness.

• Treat clothing and gear with permethrin
• Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants
• Treat clothing and gear
• Use 0.5% permethrin to treat clothing and gear (such as boots, pants, socks, and tents) or buy permethrin-treated clothing and gear.
• Permethrin is an insecticide that kills or repels mosquitoes.
• Permethrin-treated clothing provides protection after multiple washings.
• Read product information to find out how long the protection will last.
• If treating items yourself, follow the product instructions.
• Do not use permethrin products directly on skin.

Other precautions

• Use screens on windows and doors
• Take steps to control mosquitoes indoors and outdoors
• Use screens on windows and doors.
• Repair holes in screens to keep mosquitoes outdoors.
• Use air conditioning, if available.
• Stop mosquitoes from laying eggs in or near water.
• Once a week, empty and scrub, turn over, cover, or throw out items that hold water, such as tires, buckets, planters, toys, pools, birdbaths, flowerpots, or trash containers.
• Check for water-holding containers both indoors and outdoors.

External links

• CDC Jamestown canyon virus

NIH genetic and rare disease info

• NIH info on Jamestown canyon virus

Jamestown canyon virus is a rare disease.

Jamestown canyon virus Resources
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