A Hancock County resident has been hospitalized with the first human case of Powassan virus infection recorded by the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention this year.
The adult was experiencing neurologic symptoms, according to the Maine CDC. The Powassan virus is spread through deer or woodchuck tick bites, and can infect a bitten person in just 15 minutes.
Some people who contract Powassan virus do not show any symptoms, while others may experience a fever and flu-like illness. More severe symptoms include seizures, memory loss or brain or spinal cord inflammation.
For more information on Powassan virus, including prevention and detection, visit the Maine CDC’s Powassan virus website. Visit the UMaine Tick Lab for more information about tick identification and testing.
The Maine CDC said Tuesday that it had also recorded its first known case of a West Nile virus infection in a wild bird. The crow infected with the virus was discovered in York County.
The development and symptoms of West Nile are similar to those of the Powassan virus infection, and more information can be found at the Maine CDC website.
The best way to avoid contracting a viral infection is to prevent tick and mosquito bites. This includes wearing long sleeves and high socks when working outdoors; tucking your pant legs into your socks; use insect repellent that contains DEET, picaridin, or another EPA-approved repellent; check for ticks in areas including your armpits, the back of your knees and your crotch after being outside; and draining any standing bodies of water, such as bird baths or splash pools, that could serve as mosquito breeding grounds.
Last year Maine saw a record number of tickborne diseases with 3,218 cases of Lyme disease reported between January and December, along with a rise in other lesser-known diseases.
For more information on tickborne and mosquito-borne diseases, visit the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s information center.
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