ATLANTA, June 23 (Our Illinois Times) — People spending time outdoors in tick country face a rare but serious risk: the CDC says Powassan virus is spread by infected ticks and can lead to brain or spinal cord inflammation.
Public-health officials say reported U.S. cases have risen in recent years, with most infections clustered in the Northeast and Great Lakes regions during the months when ticks are most active. The Defense Centers for Public Health–Aberdeen says CDC data show about 397 reported cases from 2004 through 2024.
Studies cited by the Defense Centers say the virus can be transmitted after very short tick attachment, in as little as 15 minutes of feeding. A peer-reviewed case report said human transmission can occur within hours, a speed that sets Powassan apart from many other tick-borne illnesses.
CDC says early symptoms can include fever, headache, vomiting and weakness. In severe cases, the infection can become encephalitis or meningitis and may cause confusion, loss of coordination, speech problems, seizures and paralysis.
The CDC says there are no vaccines to prevent Powassan virus disease and no medicines to treat it. It says older adults, children and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk for neuroinvasive disease.
CDC says about 10% of patients with Powassan virus neuroinvasive disease die, and about half of survivors have lasting neurologic problems. The agency also says the virus can rarely be spread through blood transfusion.
