A man from New Hampshire has been left hospitalized after contracting three potentially deadly mosquito-borne illnesses from one single bite.
Joe Casey from Kensington, about five miles north of Amesbury, Massachusetts, tested positive for eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), West Nile virus, and St. Louis encephalitis, as reported by CBS News.
"He's my brother. It's very difficult, especially because it's from a mosquito," his emotional sister-in-law Angela Barker told WBZ-TV, as cited by the outlet.
"He was positive for EEE, for West Nile, and St. Louis Encephalitis, but the CDC, the infectious disease doctors, they don't know which one is making him this sick," she added.
According to a GoFundMe page set up for his family, Casey was first hospitalized on August 8, and it took the doctors several days to determine the cause of his sickness.
For the past several weeks, the 54-year-old's been in the ICU on a ventilator, undergone a tracheotomy, and remains under 24-hour constant care.
Casey's loved ones set up the fundraiser to raise money for the medical expenses. As of the time of writing, $27,360 has been raised of the $50,000 goal.
"These medical expenses will add up, in addition to continued rehabilitation care which will prohibit Joe from going back to work for an unknown amount of time. The last thing we want is to have Joe fully recover and then have a setback with these expenses incurred from such a life-changing virus," they penned.
"Please consider donating to this GoFundMe to help cover expenses for Joe and his family. We are targeting $50,000 as a goal so whether you can donate $5, $25, $50 or more, every little bit helps considerably," they continued, adding: "The Casey Family, Joe, Kim, Jake, Lily, Max and Ben thank you in advance for your generosity."
Barker revealed that her brother-in-law has swelling in his brain and is barely able to communicate. "My brother-in-law is not a small man, and to see someone that you love be as sick as he is and not be able to talk, to move, to communicate for over three weeks is terrifying and gut-wrenching," she said.
Casey's heartwrenching story comes after it was reported that a 41-year-old man named Steven Perry, who is from Hampstead, N.H, died after contracting EEE.
Local officials in Massachusetts have now issued warnings about the diseased bugs by sending out postcards informing residents about the threat level.
Casey's family also wants everyone to be careful when outside. "Be safe, cover up, wear bug spray. It can happen to anybody, and that's the scariest thing. Be careful and take proper precautions," Barker added.
EEE is a rare virus that spreads to people through mosquito bites. In the US, the serious and potentially deadly virus is more common in eastern and Gulf Coast states. About 30% of people who contract it die while survivors face ongoing neurological issues, per a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
CDC shared that West Nile virus is "the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease" in the US and most people infected with the virus do not feel sick, but about one in five develop a fever and other symptoms.
Meanwhile, St. Louis encephalitis can cause people to become ill with fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, and tiredness, per the outlet.
In some rare cases, people may develop "neuroinvasive diseases, such as encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), meningitis (inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord)," or may get long-term disability or die.
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