What is the Powassan virus? Waldo County, Maine resident dies after tick bite

On Wednesday, April 20, the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that a Waldo County resident passed away from Powassan virus infection.

The victim, who was revealed to be an adult, reportedly died at the hospital with neurologic symptoms.

As per the CDC, the victim is likely to have been infected in Maine. CDC Maine’s director Nirav D. Shah said:

“Ticks are active and looking for a host to bite right now. I urge Maine people and visitors to take steps that prevent tick bites.”

The CDC’s press release stated that around 25 people get infected with the virus each year since 2015. Maine has recorded 14 such cases since 2010.

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What is known about the Powassan virus?

Here's how the Maine CDC described the Powassan virus:

“Humans become infected with Powassan through the bite of an infected deer or woodchuck tick.”

The virus was first recorded in Canada in 1958. It was named after the town of Powassan, where it was first recorded.

The virus later popped up in many regions across the world, including the Russian territories and other parts of Eurasia.

As per data pooled from medically accurate sources, the Powassan virus is caused by infected tick bites. The CDC claims the virus can originate from the bites of the groundhog tick (Ixodes cookei), the deer tick (Ixodes scapularis), and the squirrel tick (Ixodes marxi).

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Symptoms and effects

According to the CDC, many virus-infected individuals will not even have any symptoms. However, others can show symptoms within a week or month.

The department stated:

“Initial symptoms can include fever, headache, vomiting, and weakness.”

More extreme symptoms of the virus may include coordination loss, slurred speech, confusion, and seizures.

The Powassan virus can cause serious diseases like infection of the brain (encephalitis) or membranes around the brain and spinal cord (meningitis).

Since there is no treatment or vaccination for the virus yet, the CDC revealed that one out of 10 people might not survive the infection if their condition is severe.

The organization also explained that people who survive the virus might suffer from other long-term effects. These may include “recurring headaches, muscle mass and strength loss, and memory problems.”

The Powassan virus can be diagnosed with the documentation and analysis of the symptoms followed by laboratory testing of “blood or spinal fluid.”