A newborn baby from Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts is fighting for her life at a Boston hospital after preliminary tests show she contracted Powassan virus, a rare but serious tick-borne disease that can be fatal, local health officials say.
Lily Sisco was flown to Massachusetts General Hospital just weeks after she was born, her mother Tiffany Sisco said. She said Lily had a tick “the size of a needle tip” on her after a short walk on the West Tisbury bike path.
“She is still fighting daily at MGH and continuing to leave the doctors speechless with her progress,” Sisco wrote on Facebook over the weekend. “Although the CDC, Neurological Doctors and Nurses have no answers for long term, we remain hopeful and extremely blessed that she is still alive today and continuing to progress in the right direction.”
What is Powassan virus?
Martha’s Vineyard health officials announced Monday that they are investigating a case of Powassan. This would be only the second confirmed case of the virus on the island in the past two decades. They said three other cases have been confirmed elsewhere in Massachusetts by the Centers for Disease Control so far this year.
There were just 57 cases nationwide in 2024, and 24 cases so far this year.
Powassan is transmitted by deer ticks, and it’s estimated that between 1% and 2% of deer ticks on Martha’s Vineyard are infected.
There is no treatment for Powassan, which can cause brain inflammation or meningitis. Many people who are exposed to the virus may not even know they were infected, but older adults and children are considered to be at high risk. It is deadly in about 10% of cases, and survivors may suffer from long-term health issues.
Tufts Medical Center Chief Infection Control Officer Dr. Shira Doron said what makes the virus so dangerous, compared to other tick-borne illnesses, is that it can infect a person within 15 minutes of a bite.
“Very, very quickly, sort of right away,” Dr. Doron said. “And then we don’t have that what we call post exposure, prophylaxis, or the ability to give a drug that will prevent that infection from happening.”
Sisco said Lily was flown to the hospital after a persistent fever, and her symptoms progressed to seizures. The inflammation is causing scarring in her brain, Sisco said.
“We certainly had no idea a 20 minute walk on the West Tisbury bike path beside our home, a walk we do most every day, could potentially cause my child her life,” Sisco said.
Preventing tick bites
It’s been a bad tick season in the area. The CDC said earlier this summer that emergency room visits for tick bites in the Northeast are at their highest levels in at least five years.
Ticks are most active during the warm weather months, but can be outside any time the temperature is above freezing.
“It is not common for babies who don’t walk to get tick-borne illnesses in general,” Dr. Doron said. “This was really an unfortunate situation. Obviously.”
To prevent tick bites, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health recommends using insect repellent, wearing long, light-colored clothing, and staying on trails when walking. Experts also say to check yourself, children and pets for ticks after being outside in an area where ticks might be present.
“Please, please, please check yourselves, your children and your pets,” Sisco said.
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