There has been an alarming increase in cases of a virus called Powassan virus. The virus is transferred and carried to human and pets through tick bites. It is found in the United States in the Northeast and Great Lakes area and across Canada. It was discovered in 1958, in Powassan, Ontario, where it was identified in a young boy whom eventually died from it. Until just under a year ago there has only been 16 cases in Canada since 1958, all in the New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario. In the past year infected ticks have been found across Canada from New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI, Quebec, Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia. Human cases have been reported this spring in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Maine.
The Powassan virus can infect the central nervous system, with similar symptoms to Lyme disease but much more severe, worst of all, there is no cure at the moment. The Powassan virus is in the same family as the West Nile Virus. Currently, approximately 10% of infected cases have lead to death. Infected patients are likely to become susceptible to both encephalitis and meningitis, which is basically the inflammation of the brain and surrounding tissue, which can cause neurological damage. Once a human or pet is bit by an infected tick, symptoms can start to occur in only a matter of hours.
Testing for Powassan virus was once only tested on groundhog ticks, is now being tested on blacklegged ticks. With the number of blacklegged ticks skyrocketing, it is worrying to doctors that they now carry the virus.
Although getting infected is rare, since there is a possibility if death and the sudden spike of cases, doctors are urging people to do everything they can do to protect themselves. Recommended guidelines doctors are giving;
- Avoid wooded and bushy areas with high grass
- Carry and USE bug spray
- Do a full body check on yourself, children and pets when spending time outdoors
- Take off clothes when you get home and shower immediately, if the tick hasn't started to feed you have the possibility of washing it off
- Put your clothes in the dryer right when you take it off, it helps prevent the tick jumping off your clothes and dry for at least one hour to kill the tick
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