Latest news with #POWV
Miami Herald
6 days ago
- Health
- Miami Herald
Deadly virus spread by deer tick kills 1, hospitalizes 2, Wisconsin officials say
A deadly virus, transmitted through tick bites, killed one and hospitalized two others as of June, Wisconsin health officials said. Details about where and how the three individuals contracted Powassan virus in the state were not shared, however the Wisconsin Department of Health Services is recommending health care providers quickly test patients with symptoms of the 'rare' disease. 'POWV is rare, but there has been an increase in the number of cases reported in recent years,' officials said in a June 24 email to health care providers in the state. 'This increase could be from more people becoming infected with POWV, improvements in testing and diagnosis, or some combination of both.' Powassan virus is transmitted through the bite of an infected blacklegged (deer) tick, officials said. The ticks contract the disease when they bite an infected animal, then pass it onto a human as they latch onto them. As of June 17, seven cases of the virus have been reported nationwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The cases were reported in Wisconsin, New York, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. In 2024, 57 human cases were reported, the most since 2004, according to the CDC. Infection can present asymptomatically, according to the health department, or through a 'non-specific' illness or neurological disease. 'Initial symptoms commonly include fever, headache, vomiting, and generalized weakness. The disease can progress to encephalitis, meningoencephalitis, or aseptic meningitis,' officials said. The virus can later progress into seizures, speech problems or paralysis, among other symptoms. Deer ticks spread other diseases, including Lyme disease and anaplasmosis, health officials said. Experts with AccuWeather recommend long sleeves in areas where there may be ticks, such as woods or tall grass, and to check your body after spending time outdoors.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Three hospitalized in Wisconsin due to Powassan virus, one dead from disease
(WFRV) – As of June 2025, officials with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) have reported three cases of Powassan virus (POWV) disease that involved hospitalization, including one death. Wisconsin DHS officials noted that all three cases have been reported in adult Wisconsin residents. Farm employee in Manitowoc County killed after being trapped in debris caused by silo collapse The release comes at a potential increase in POWV cases after 12 were reported in Wisconsin during 2024. The 12 from last year was the record for Wisconsin, and was the second highest nationwide in 2024, only behind Minnesota with 14. POWV is a tickborne virus spread by the blacklegged (deer) tick, the same tick that spreads Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and several other diseases in Wisconsin. Officials say the infection can cause a mild febrile illness or neurologic disease that often presents as meningitis or encephalitis. Manitowoc PD seeks info on dog after man bitten at Trails End Trailer Park The Wisconsin DHS recommends that health care providers: Consider POWV disease in patients with unexplained neurologic disease with known or possible tick exposure one to five weeks before illness onset. Order the appropriate diagnostic testing for patients with suspected POWV disease. POWV IgM testing in serum or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), or POWV IgM in serum or CSF and POWV RT-PCR in whole blood, serum, or CSF, which may be particularly helpful for immunocompromised patients. Ensure timely reporting of POWV infections to state or local public health authorities. Promote tick bite prevention measures among individuals who spend time working or recreating outdoors, especially in the northern half of Wisconsin. Local 5 will update this story as more information gets released. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Man Died from Tick-Borne Virus After His ‘Brain Had Blown Up'. Now His Family Is Warning Others
Kevin Boyce was hospitalized in April 2024 with a severe case of Powassan virus due to a tick bite He died weeks later after suffering brain damage from the disease His family is now sharing his story to encourage others to be cautious about ticksAs the weather gets warmer, one Massachusetts family is sharing their heartbreaking story as a warning to others about a debilitating tick-borne disease. In April 2024, Kevin Boyce was unknowingly bitten by a tick. He started experiencing headaches, vomiting and other flu-like symptoms that rapidly progressed. Days later, the 62-year-old collapsed in his home and was rushed to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston where he was admitted to the intensive care unit. Doctors diagnosed Kevin with Powassan virus, a rare and dangerous tick-borne disease. Powassan virus is rare but the number of cases has significantly increased in the past decade. Symptoms include fever, headache, vomiting, weakness, confusion, loss of coordination, difficulty speaking, and seizures. Severe cases can lead to inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) or spinal cord (myelitis). About 10% of these advanced cases are fatal, according to Yale Medicine. Erin explained that despite Kevin being treated in the ICU, he ultimately suffered severe brain damage from the disease. "His brain had blown up so much, from the encephalitis, and he had really bad brain damage," she told CBS News. "It was horrifying, but we knew what Kevin would want, so you know, we just had to let him go." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Kevin died a few weeks after arriving at the hospital, leaving behind a wife, two sons and a granddaughter. Erin said that she and her family are now hoping that sharing Kevin's story will encourage others to be cautious. "We just want the public to know what to look for and be wary of ticks, especially if you have one on your body," she said. In 2024, 54 cases of Powassan virus disease were reported in the United States, with 12 cases reported in to the CDC, there are no vaccines to prevent POWV or medicines to treat it. However, a number of precautionary measures can be taken to avoid ticks. To prevent exposure to ticks, according to the National Institutes of Health, wear clothing that covers your arms and legs and tuck your pants into your socks or put tape around openings in clothing. Wear light-colored clothing so you can see if a tick is on you. When you are in the woods, keep to the center of the trail, since ticks tend to like shrubs and bushes. Use a chemical repellent with DEET, permethrin or picaridin. After coming indoors, check yourself, children and pets for ticks. If you do find one, use tweezers to remove it as soon as possible. It takes a week to one month after the bite from an infected tick to develop symptoms of POWV disease, and the virus can be transmitted in as little as 15 minutes after the tick first attaches, according to the Massachusetts Department of Health. Shower as soon as you can and wash your clothes in high heat to kill any remaining ticks. Read the original article on People
