The Powassan virus causes fever, central nervous system damage, and encephalitis.
In the US state of Pennsylvania, 9 out of 10 ticks in a park have been found to have the potentially deadly Powassan virus. The tick Ixodes scapularis can infect with this virus, reports the Chronicle.info with reference to Focus.
Powassan is also called «deer tick virus» or «black-legged tick virus». This rare virus can cause infections with severe and long-lasting neurological consequences. It is transmitted by the bites of infected female black-legged ticks (Ixodes scapularis). The state fears that this virus and other tick-borne diseases will become more common in the future.
The virus is transmitted 15 minutes after a bite, which is much faster than the time from bite to infection in other tick-borne diseases. For example, with Lyme disease, the tick must attach to a person for a longer time — at least a day to transmit the disease.
Powassan was first registered in 1952. The first child to be infected with the virus has died. To date, there is no vaccine or antiviral drug, the drug is still in development. Therefore, prevention of tick bites is the best precaution.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, many people infected with the Powassan virus do not feel symptoms. But those that carry symptoms can be fatal. The infected person suffers fever, headache, vomiting, and weakness. Severe symptoms include confusion, loss of coordination, difficulty speaking and seizures.
According to statistics, about 1 in 10 cases of infection with the virus is fatal. At the same time, about half of the people who have had a severe form of the disease have long-term neurological health problems.
Experts suggest that the number of infected ticks is increasing due to climate change. Rising temperatures and humidity are likely to contribute to the reproduction and spread of ticks.
Recall that scientists are developing a vaccine against ticks. The new drug is similar to the coronavirus vaccine and has already been shown to be effective in guinea pig trials. Earlier, experts discovered an unpleasant fact: ticks live in human pores. They are harmless, and to minimize their impact, it is enough to follow the rules of hygiene.