‘Consumed his brain’: Family of EEE victim urges mosquito precautions as new cases tick up in Mass.

WESTWOOD, Mass. — Human cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis are exceedingly rare. But some of those cases can be devastating — as one family knows.

Somewhere, somehow, a mosquito bit 41-year-old Steven Perry of Hampstead, New Hampshire in early August.

“He really didn’t start to show any symptoms until the 10th or 11th,” said Susan Hamilton, Perry’s sister.

But those symptoms were alarming. Steven’s mother, Judi, found him on his bed, unable to raise his arm up and staring blankly ahead. She thought he had a stroke.

He didn’t.

Perry’s brother took him to a local hospital. He was then transferred to Massachusetts General Hospital on August 12. Hamilton said doctors suspected EEE based on his symptoms.

“He went into the hospital on the 12th and died a week later on the 19th,” she said. “Very rapidly progressing.”

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NH EEE victim Steven Perry

An autopsy confirmed the cause of death as infection with EEE.

Judi Perry said you could see the rapid progression of the infection on her son’s CAT scans. Days after a CAT scan showed viable brain tissue, suddenly it was gone.

“It totally consumed his brain,” said Judi. “His whole brain was infected. It rapidly moved along.”

She said that even if Steven had survived the infection, he would likely have permanent brain damage.

“He was a great guy,” she said. “It’s heartbreaking. Very hard to comprehend.”

Steven Perry is the first case of EEE in New Hampshire in 10 years. His mother said he spent time at a family house on Lake Kingston, where EEE was present in mosquitoes — but she can’t be sure that’s where he was bitten.

“He could have been at the supermarket out in the parking lot,” she said. “You don’t know.”

What IS known is that mosquito populations rise and fall with the weather. David Lawson, Director of the Norfolk County Mosquito Control District said the skeeter season is winding down.

“I can’t imagine there are many new mosquitoes coming into the environment at this point,” he said. “What we’re seeing right now are just stragglers.”

Lawson said the extremely dry weather in September has helped reduce the number of mosquitoes. A frost usually kills them.

“Nevertheless,” Lawson said, “Any mosquito that’s still hanging around is something to be concerned about.”

That is the message Steven Perry’s family hopes will sink in.

“How big a deal is it,” asked Hamilton. “It’s a big deal.”

She said it’s not a big sacrifice to prevent mosquito bites by wearing long sleeves and pants, using insect repellents, and avoiding the hours from dusk to dawn.

“If Steven’s death can be used to help prevent anyone, any person or family from having to go through this type of unimaginable loss, it’s worth it,” said Hamilton. “When it affects you or your family it doesn’t matter how rare it is. The more people know about this, the more people can take it seriously. We just hope people are listening.”

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