ATLANTA, June 23 (Our Illinois Times) — Powassan virus, a rare tick-borne infection that can damage the brain and nervous system, can be passed to people within minutes after an infected tick begins feeding, according to federal health officials and peer-reviewed studies.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says reported cases have increased in recent years, but the disease remains uncommon. The agency says most U.S. cases are reported in the Northeast and Great Lakes regions, especially during the late spring through mid-fall tick season.
The CDC lists blacklegged ticks, groundhog ticks and squirrel ticks as the main carriers. It says early illness can include fever, headache, vomiting and weakness.
In severe cases, the virus can cause encephalitis or meningitis. The CDC says that can lead to confusion, loss of coordination, speech problems, seizures and paralysis. It says older adults, children and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of neuroinvasive disease.
There is no vaccine to prevent Powassan virus disease and no medicine to treat it, the CDC says. The agency says about 10% of patients with Powassan virus neuroinvasive disease die, and about half of survivors have long-lasting neurologic problems.
The Defense Centers for Public Health–Aberdeen says studies show the virus can be transmitted in as little as 15 minutes of tick feeding. A 2021 peer-reviewed case report and analysis also said human infection can occur within hours of attachment.
The Defense public-health page says CDC data show about 397 reported U.S. cases from 2004 through 2024. The virus was first identified in 1958 in Powassan, Ontario, and the first U.S. case was diagnosed in New Jersey in 1970, according to the Defense page.
