See links at bottom for more information on tick-borne Powassan virus.

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Boston Globe

CDC warns about rare tick virus spreading in New England

By Associated Press, 9/7/2001 08:36

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention warned of an extremely rare virus spread by ticks
after three people in Maine and one in Vermont contracted
encephalitis.

Since last September, the Powassan virus has infected a
70-year-old man in Kennebec County, a 53-year-old woman in
York County and a 25-year-old man in Waldo County. All were
hospitalized.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the
new cases Thursday in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly
Report and urged New England residents to protect against
tick bites.

According to the CDC report, there were only 27 human
Powassan encephalitis cases reported in Canada and the
northeastern United States during the 40-year period from
1958 to 1998.

"This wasn't something that was on anybody's radar screen,"
said Dr. Kathleen Gensheimer, the state epidemiologist.

The CDC and state public health officials say the appearance
of the virus underscores the need for people to take preventive
measures when they are in environments where ticks abound,
just as they would for Lyme disease.

It's unclear whether the virus is new to the state or if it's just
never been detected before because no one was looking for it.
It's also unclear how common it may be, although it probably
is not too widespread because there has not been a big
increase in encephalitis in Maine.

Like the West Nile virus and other viruses that can result in
encephalitis, the Powassan virus probably causes a wide
range of symptoms, including cases that are so mild they go
undetected, health officials say.

"I don't think there's any major cause for fear or worry, but I
think this does give yet another reason for people to be
cautious about tick bites and protect themselves from tick
bites," said Dr. Dora Anne Mills, director of the Maine Bureau
of Health.

The Powassan virus has been found in four tick species,
including a tick commonly found on woodchucks and other
medium-sized mammals. It is smaller than a dog tick and
more difficult to spot.

The first case in Maine appeared in a 53-year-old York County
woman who went to Southern Maine Medical Center
complaining of a loss of balance, visual disturbance and a
fever of 103 degrees.

She was in the hospital for 13 days, then was transferred to a
rehabilitation facility for two months.

The CDC made the diagnosis but there was no warning
because it was unclear where she had contracted the virus.

It wasn't until the second case showed up in June in a
Kennebec County man who had not left the state in 25 years
that health officials suspected the Powassan virus was
infecting people and animals in Maine.

The man suffered from muscle weakness, a fever of 104
degrees and other symptoms. After a hospital stay of 22 days,
he was discharged to a rehabilitation facility, where he
remains today.

The CDC trapped nine animals on the property and found two
infected woodchucks and two infected skunks.

After the Kennebec County case, the state decided to submit
to the CDC old cases of encephalitis that had tested negative
for West Nile. That's how the third case, a 25-year-old logger
from Waldo County, was discovered.

The state now plans to submit other old cases for testing and
is developing its own capability to test for the virus so samples
won't have to be sent to CDC.

CDC warns about rare tick virus spreading in New England,
Boston Globe, 7 Sep 01
http://www.***.com/

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For more information on tick-borne Powassan virus see:

Powassan encephalitis
http://www.***.com/ #TBE5

which is part of:

Tick-Borne Diseases in the Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus Group -
other than TBE Virus
http://www.***.com/ #otherTBE1

which is part of:

Tick-Borne Encephalitis (TBE)
http://www.***.com/

which is part of:

Tick-Borne Diseases Of Humans Other Than Lyme Disease Or
"Lyme-like" Disease
http://www.***.com/

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