Man infected with extremely rare virus after being bitten by a tick

On April 20, the Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported the case of a man who died from a rare brain infection after being bitten by a tick. This type of tick is thought to be contagious virus The rare name Powassan.

The brain infection caused by the Powassan virus currently has no cure, no vaccine, and no appropriate antiviral treatment. CDC Maine experts warn residents and visitors to be careful in areas where ticks may be present.

The man died from a serious brain infection caused by the rare Powassan virus after being bitten by a tick. Photo: Getty Images/ Daily Mail

Specifically, those who go camping or hiking in wooded areas should watch out for ticks, following available routes rather than going deep into the woods. Besides, people should also cover carefully to avoid being bitten by ticks and have insect spray ready.

In the case of entering an area at high risk of exposure to ticks, people should check regularly to detect bites early. After returning from areas where ticks may be present, care should be taken to shower and wash clothes.

“Ticks are proliferating and active. I urge all Maine residents and visitors to take steps to prevent tick bites.” WMTW quoted Nirav D.Shah – director of CDC Maine.

It is known that the Powassan virus is usually transmitted from animals to humans through the bite of a tick or mole, named after the place where it was first discovered – the city of Powassan, Ontario (Canada) – on a boy in 2005. 1958. Symptoms usually appear about 1 week to 1 month after an infected person is bitten by a tick.

According to the report, the man infected with the Powassan virus in Maine experienced severe neurological symptoms. He died at the hospital while receiving intensive treatment. Besides neurological symptoms, other common signs of illness caused by Powassan virus include fever, headache, vomiting, fatigue, confusion, convulsions or memory loss.

However, the CDC says most people infected with the Powassan virus don’t show symptoms until the illness gets worse. So far, the number of people infected with this virus is not much, each year in the US only about 25 cases of infection are reported.

Over the past 12 years, 14 cases have been reported in Maine. However, because there are cases of asymptomatic infections, it is likely that the actual number is higher.