---
title: "Mosquitoes in Florida Are Spreading a Deadly Brain Virus"
description: "A rare, brain-swelling deadly virus spread via mosquitoes was just spotted in Orange County, Florida, prompting public advisories warning to avoid bites."
date: "2019-07-30"
modified: "2019-07-30"
authors:
  - name: "Dan Robitzski"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/danrobitzski.md"
url: "https://futurism.com/neoscope/mosquitoes-florida-deadly-brain-virus"
categories:
  - "Brain"
  - "Health & Medicine"
tags:
  - "climate change"
  - "health"
  - "medicine"
  - "the digest"
---

# Mosquitoes in Florida Are Spreading a Deadly Brain Virus

![A rare, brain-swelling deadly virus spread via mosquitoes was just spotted in Orange County, Florida, prompting public advisories warning to avoid bites.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/mosquitoes-florida-deadly-brain-virus.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: NIAID/Victor Tangermann\</em\>*

## Rare Virus

Orange County, Florida, just released a [public advisory warning](<http://orange.floridahealth.gov/newsroom/2019/07/mosquito-borne.html>) that the Department of Health had found signs of the rare brain-infecting virus, Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) in the area.

EEEV is a particularly rare infection — it tends to spread in remote, swampy areas far from human civilization. But when the disease does strike, it can be grave: [*Gizmodo* reports](<https://gizmodo.com/mosquitos-are-spreading-a-rare-brain-infecting-virus-i-1836821356>) that a bite from an [infected mosquito](<https://futurism.com/neoscope/mosquito-birth-control-prevent-deaths.md>) can cause severe, fatal brain swelling in a matter of days.

## Sentinel Chickens

Health Department officials found EEEV in a flock of sentinel chickens, which local governments use to monitor and track infectious diseases, according to the warning, which included a list of steps people can take to [prevent mosquito populations](<https://futurism.com/neoscope/gene-drive-mosquitos-crispr.md>) from growing.

If the sentinel chickens are getting bit, that means human infections could follow close behind, according to *Gizmodo*.

## Heat Risk

Unfortunately, mosquito-borne illness will likely spread farther into human-populated areas as our planet continues to heat up through climate change, per *Gizmodo*.

While EEEV is rare and human infections that lead to dangerous symptoms are even rarer, scientists have yet to figure out a vaccine or treatment for the disease, posing a problem for our warmer future.

**READ MORE:** [Mosquitos Are Spreading a Rare, Brain-Infecting Virus in Florida](<https://gizmodo.com/mosquitos-are-spreading-a-rare-brain-infecting-virus-i-1836821356>) \[*Gizmodo*\]

**More on mosquitoes:** *[Scientists Say Skrillex Stops Mosquitoes From Biting](<https://futurism.com/neoscope/skrillex-stops-mosquitoes-biting.md>)*

## Author
Dan Robitzki is a senior reporter for Futurism, where he likes to cover AI, tech ethics, and medicine. He spends his extra time fencing and streaming games from Los Angeles, California.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://x.com/danrobitzski>)

## More

- [Bad News: Another Deadly Virus Is Spreading in the US](<https://futurism.com/neoscope/bad-news-another-deadly-virus-is-spreading-in-the-us.md>)
- [The EPA Just Approved the Release of Mosquito-Killing Insects Grown in the Lab](<https://futurism.com/neoscope/epa-approved-release-mosquito-killing-insects-grown-lab.md>)
- [Florida’s Gene-Hacked Mosquitoes Have Hatched and Taken Flight](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/floridas-gene-hacked-mosquitoes-hatched-taken-flight.md>)
- [Florida Officials Are Using Drones to Kill Mosquitoes](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/florida-officials-are-using-drones-to-kill-mosquitoes.md>)
- [Mysterious Chinese Virus May Have Spread From Snakes](<https://futurism.com/neoscope/chinese-virus-spread-snakes.md>)
- [Omicron Is the “Fastest Spreading Virus In History,” Experts Say](<https://futurism.com/neoscope/omicron-fastest-spreading-virus.md>)
- [Gene Editing Could End Mosquito-Borne Disease](<https://futurism.com/neoscope/gene-editing-could-end-mosquito-borne-disease.md>)
- [Dr. Fauci Hospitalized With Rare Disease](<https://futurism.com/neoscope/fauci-hospitalized-west-nile.md>)