Ticks are spreading deadly Powassan virus, CDC warns

Lyme disease, the notorious illness spread by ticks, has a deadly counterpart that’s spreading fast.

Doctors are warning that ticks are also rapidly spreading the Powassan virus, which causes a little-known disease that’s incurable and can be deadly.

This month, a 58-year-old Maine man died of complications caused by Powassan, the Washington Post reported, marking the first fatality of 2023 linked to the disease.

And many doctors are unfamiliar with this once-rare disease, so getting an accurate diagnosis can be a problem. The Maine resident was in the hospital for weeks before doctors discovered the cause of his illness.

But cases are rising fast, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: While just six US cases of Powassan were recorded in 2015, a record-busting 39 cases were reported in 2019.

Lyme disease, by comparison, affects about 476,000 Americans each year, the CDC estimates. Other tick-borne disease like anaplasmosis, babesiosis, tularemia and Rocky Mountain spotted fever are also on the rise — and in regions that were once almost free of tick-borne illness.

“Nine years of data show [an] increase in tick-borne disease in parts of the US that previously saw few cases,” Megan Swanson, an epidemiologist with the CDC’s Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, told NBC News.

Powassan is particularly worrisome because of the ease with which the illness spreads: A tick attached to a human needs 36 to 48 hours to transfer Lyme disease, but it can transfer the Powassan virus in just 15 minutes.

And people with the Powassan virus don’t always show symptoms. If they do, flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache or vomiting can appear one week to one month after the patient is bitten.

More serious symptoms can include brain or spinal inflammation, confusion, seizures and difficulty with speaking and coordination.

Most cases of Powassan virus have occurred in the Northeastern US — from Maine south to Virginia — and westward across the Great Lakes region to Minnesota. Other cases have been reported in Russia and Canada (the first known case occurred in Powassan, Ontario, in 1958).

Because there’s no cure for Powassan, doctors prescribe rest, fluids and over-the-counter painkillers for most cases, which can last up to a month.

More serious cases may require hospitalization for breathing support and to reduce swelling in the brain. About 10% of people with severe Powassan die, according to the Maine CDC. Those who survive may have long-term health problems like headaches, memory problems and a loss of muscle strength.

Some health experts have noted that a warming climate helps spread Powassan and other tick-borne diseases, since milder winters and earlier spring seasons create perfect conditions for warm-weather pests like ticks.

The primary season for tick activity — and reports of tick-borne illnesses — typically starts in March and peaks in May and June, with a second, smaller increase in mid-autumn.

The most efficient way to protect against tick-borne disease is by using insect repellent and wearing clothes that cover your skin in areas with high tick populations, as well as checking yourself and your pets for ticks.

There’s some hope on the horizon, however, potentially as soon as 2025, as both Moderna and, in collaboration, Pfizer and Valneva have vaccines in development for Lyme disease.