AUGUSTA — Sportsmen hunting deer this season in interior and coastal York County, coastal Cumberland County, and Kennebec, Penobscot and Waldo counties are advised to take extra precautions for mosquitoes: Transmission of Eastern Equine Encephalitis is primarily by mosquito bite.

Due to an outbreak this summer of EEE in Maine horses from mosquito bites, hunters should use insect repellents for personal protection from bites and use protective clothing until mosquitoes are no longer active.

“Although other mammals and birds have been exposed to the EEE virus for decades, there is no evidence that direct contact with these species can infect humans,” a Friday report from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife stated. “Human infection is rare.”

In a small number of cases, the report said dogs have been said to be infected with EEE, but they are not a primary species of concern.

“While it would be possible for a dog to contract EEE when retrieving an infected bird, for example, the dog would have to have a cut in its mouth and come into contact with the bird’s blood,” the report stated.

The department advised hunters in the above counties to:

• Not handle or consume wild animals that appear sick or act abnormally, regardless of the cause. All other deer meat should be cooked thoroughly (170 to 180 degrees Fahrenheit) to kill the EEE virus — should it be present — and any other viruses and bacteria.

• Wear heavy rubber or latex gloves when field dressing deer.

• Handle knives carefully to prevent accidental cuts.

• Minimize contact with brain or spinal tissues. Do not cut into the head of any deer that behaved abnormally, even to remove the rack. When removing antlers from healthy deer, use a hand saw rather than a power saw, and always wear safety glasses.

• Bone-out the carcass, keeping both the head and spine intact.

• Wash hands with soap and water after handling carcasses, and before and after handling meat.

• Thoroughly sanitize equipment and work surfaces used during processing with bleach solution (1 tablespoon of bleach to 1 gallon of water). Consider keeping a separate set of knives used only for butchering deer.

Freezing meat will not kill the EEE virus, the report stated.

Hunters should be aware that the presence of EEE in deer does not affect the meat of the animal. Additionally, finding EEE in any of the samples does not indicate an infected deer — only that there are EEE antibodies present, the report stated.

The appearance of EEE in Maine horses this summer prompted the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Maine Medical Center and the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention to conduct a study during deer hunting season to better understand the distribution of the EEE virus in the state.

That’s why harvested deer will be examined for the presence of EEE, by testing their blood for antibodies specific for this virus.

“Deer are widespread in the state, are susceptible to infection with the EEE virus and should be a good sentinel of EEE virus activity,” the report stated.

Health officials hope to use the survey to map the prevalence of the disease in the state.

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