What is Powassan? Do Ticks Carry It?
Powassan is a rare disease transmitted by a tick caused by a virus. This can cause swelling in the brain (doctors call this encephalitis) and in the membranes around the brain and spinal cord (you can hear this as a meningitis).
Only about 75 cases have been reported in the United States in the last 10 years. Still, experts warn that the disease may begin to spread faster now that it is transmitted through deer tick - the same tick that spreads Lyme disease.
Powassan spreads ticks to people faster than Lyme disease. Although viral infection is usually mild, it can be fatal in a small number of people and, in severe cases, some symptoms, such as weakness and memory loss, may be permanent.
This is why health officials are warning people living in the Northeastern and Great Lakes states, where the virus is spreading often, to take steps to prevent it from happening. infection.
How it spreads
Infected ticks spread the Powassan virus when they bite people. In the past, the types of ticks that rarely bite humans - such as marmot ticks and others - are spreading mainly. But now, the deer tick, which is more likely to bite people, also carries the virus.
Ticks that transport Powassan live primarily in forested areas of the Northeast and Great Lakes. These ticks are most active in late spring, early summer and mid-fall.
Not all ticks are infected with the virus, and all those who are bitten become sick. But ticks that are infected can transmit it quickly - within minutes of attachment to a person. Lyme disease takes much longer - 24 to 48 hours - to spread from the stain to the man.
You can not catch Powassan from another person.
[19459108]Symptoms
Most Powassan infections are mild. Some people have no symptoms. If you do, they will appear a week to a month after being bitten and may include:
Consult your doctor if you have any of these symptoms and may be exposed to ticks. Call 911 or go to an emergency room for severe symptoms.
[19459108]Diagnosis
Your doctor will ask you questions like these:
- What symptoms do you have?
- When did they start?
- Could you be exposed to ticks?
You may need to test your blood and spinal fluid to check for antibodies that your immune system does to fight the Powassan virus.
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Treatment
Although no specific medication or procedure deals with Powassan and that many cases are mild, doctors have ways to manage the symptoms. If yours is serious, you may need to go to a hospital to get care, such as:
- Support for breathing
- Fluids through a vein (IV)
- Medicine to cut down swelling in the brain
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Prevention
The best way to protect yourself against Powassan and other tick-borne diseases is to avoid tick bites:
- Stay out of wooded or grassy areas whenever you can.
- When you are in the wood, spray all areas of your bare skin with an insect repellent containing DEET. Also, treat your clothes and equipment with permethrin. Keep in mind that repellents only last a few hours.
- When you come back inside, check your entire body for ticks. Do not forget your scalp.
- Also check your clothing and pets.
- Take a bath or shower to find and wash all the ticks on your skin.
There is no vaccine that can prevent the disease.
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