Tick Season In PA: What To Know About Deadly Powassan Virus

PENNSYLVANIA – A rare tick-borne illness with confirmed cases in Pennsylvania killed a man in New Jersey last month, health officials have confirmed. The news comes as state health officials report an increase in tick bite-related emergency department visits.

The Powassan virus, otherwise known as POW, is carried by the same type of tick that spreads Lyme Disease. The New Jersey death was confirmed by the state's Department of Health last week.

In Pennsylvania, five cases of the disease have been reported between 2008 and 2017, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The virus can impact the nervous system, memory, thinking and balance.

Symptoms can include fever, headache, vomiting, weakness, confusion, loss of coordination, speech difficulties and seizures.

As with other tick-borne illnesses, there is no vaccine for the Powassan virus. Cases occur primarily in the late spring, early summer and mid-fall when ticks are most active.

Unfortunately, Pennsylvania residents have to be extra vigilant about ticks during those seasons. A report released last year by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Pennsylvania has more tick-borne disease than any other state in America.

This spring, the Pennsylvania Department of Health has issued a "Health Advisory," saying there has is a recent sustained increase in tick bite-related emergency department visits in nearly all regions of the state.

"From April through September, health care providers should have a heightened clinical suspicion for tick-borne diseases," the Health Advisory said.

RELATED: Pennsylvania Has Most Tick-Borne Disease In Country: CDC

Between 2004 and 2016, there were 73,610 tick-borne disease cases in Pennsylvania, the highest of any state in the country, according to CDC data. Across the country in 2016, there were 48,000 tick-borne disease cases. Of those cases, about 36,500 were Lyme, the Lyme Disease Association reported. And more than 11,000 of those cases were in Pennsylvania, according to data from the Lyme Disease Association.

POW virus disease cases are rare, but the reported number of cases have increased in recent years. People who engage in outdoor work and recreational activities in endemic areas are at increased risk of infection, according to the CDC.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the disease also once killed a patient in Minnesota. Brain swelling from the virus was what caused her death, officials say.

The disease has been recognized in the United States, Canada and Russia. In the United States, cases of POW virus have been reported primarily from northeastern states and the Great Lakes region, according to the CDC.

The number of reported cases of POW are: Minnesota, 32; Wisconsin, 22; New York, 16; Massachusetts, 16; New Jersey, 10; Maine, 6; Pennsylvania, 5; New Hampshire, 3; Rhode Island, 3; Connecticut, 1; North Carolina, 1; North Dakota, 1; and Virginia 1.

Jennifer Lyons, chief of the Division of Neurological Infections and Inflammatory Diseases at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, told CNN that 15 percent of patients who are infected with POW and have symptoms are not going to survive.

"Of the survivors," she told CNN, "at least 50 percent will have long-term neurological damage that is not going to resolve."

Here are the symptoms of POW:

• Many people who become infected with Powassan virus do not develop any symptoms.
• The incubation period (time from tick bite to onset of illness) ranges from about one week to one month.
• POW virus can infect the central nervous system and cause encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and meningitis (inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord).
• Symptoms can include fever, headache, vomiting, weakness, confusion, loss of coordination, speech difficulties and seizures.
• Approximately half of survivors have permanent neurological symptoms, such as recurrent headaches, muscle wasting and memory problems.
• Approximately 10 percent of POW virus encephalitis cases are fatal.

POW Treatment

• There are no vaccines or medications to treat or prevent POW virus infection.
• If you think you or a family member may have POW virus disease, see your health care provider for evaluation and diagnosis.
• Persons with severe POW illnesses often need to be hospitalized. Treatment may include respiratory support, intravenous fluids and medications to reduce swelling in the brain.

While it is a good idea to take preventive measures against ticks year-round, be extra vigilant in warmer months — April through September — when ticks are most active.

Here are some tips to avoid infection:

• Avoid direct contact with ticks
• Avoid wooded and brushy areas with high grass and leaf litter.
• Walk in the center of trails.
• Repel ticks on skin and clothing
• Use repellent that contains 20 percent or more DEET, picaridin or IR3535 on exposed skin for protection that lasts several hours.
• Always follow product instructions. Parents should apply this product to their children, avoiding hands, eyes and mouth.
• Use products that contain permethrin on clothing. Treat clothing and gear, such as boots, pants, socks and tents, with products containing 0.5 percent permethrin. It remains protective through several washings. Pre-treated clothing is available and may be protective longer.