CT Man Dies 5 Years After Contracting EEE From A Mosquito: Reports

COLCHESTER, CT — A Connecticut father died overnight Monday due to complications of the Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) he contracted from a mosquito five years ago while clearing brush from the woods in his backyard, his family told the New York Post.

The disease, which as of earlier this month had been found in 16 Connecticut towns this year, is a rare but serious mosquito-borne illness that has been on the rise.

Richard Pawulski, 47, from Colchester, began vomiting and experiencing intense headaches in August 2019 after doing yard work.

He survived several years but "ultimately succumbed to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a staph infection that proved too difficult to treat when combined with his other EEE-derived ailments, like a bacterial infection in his heart, a deteriorating liver and a traumatic brain injury," the Post reported.

"Born in Cieszyn, Poland son of Helena (Surma) Rewa and the late Kazimierz Pawulski, he was working at Allied Community Resource as a CNA for many years," Pawulski's obituary, which describes him as a "loving husband, father, son, brother and cousin," reads.

Read more of Pawulski's story in the New York Post.

Typically, four to eight EEE cases are reported across the country each year. But this year, numbers have been higher, with 13 human cases reported in seven states, mostly clustered in the Northeast as of early October. Two of these cases were fatal.

EEE attacks the brain, causing symptoms including fever, headache, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, behavioral changes, and drowsiness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Around 30% of people who develop severe eastern equine encephalitis die, and many survivors have ongoing neurologic problems.

Experts advise those who head outdoors for recreation to take the following steps to minimize the likelihood of being bitten by mosquitoes:

• Minimize time spent outdoors at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active.
• Consider the use of mosquito repellents containing an EPA-registered active ingredient, including DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone.
• Wear shoes, socks, long pants, and a long-sleeved shirt when outdoors for long periods of time, or when mosquitoes are most active. Clothing should be light-colored, loose-fitting, and made of tightly woven materials that keep mosquitoes away from the skin.
• If camping, ensure tent screens and doors are in good repair and are securely fastened when not in use.
• Use mosquito netting when sleeping outdoors or in an unscreened structure and to protect infants.
• Residents are also encouraged to take steps at home to protect against mosquitoes, such as making sure door and window screens are tight-fitting and in good repair. In addition, mosquitoes breed in stagnant water, so avoid letting water collect in old tires, wheelbarrows, wading pools, etc.

More information on mosquito control around the home can be found on the Connecticut Mosquito Management Program website.

For information on mosquito-borne diseases, precautions to avoid mosquito bites, and the latest mosquito test results, visit the Connecticut Mosquito Management Program website.