The US health officials have started warning people about a rare virus called 'Powassan virus' following the death of a resident in Sagadahoc County, Maine. The recent fatality marks the third case in Maine since 2015 due to this non-treatable illness transmitted by ticks.
According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Powassan virus is primarily transmitted to humans through bites from infected deer ticks, groundhog ticks, or squirrel ticks.
The virus is not transmitted from person to person, except in rare instances by blood transfusion. It can be transmitted through blood, so people who were recently diagnosed with Powassan virus infection should not donate blood and bone marrow for 120 days following infection, CDC said.
While Powassan virus cases are rare, there has been an increase in documented cases in recent years. Infections have been reported in the United States, Canada, and Russia. The most affected regions are in the Great Lakes area of North America, with transmission occurring between late spring and mid-autumn.
Here are some important details about the symptoms of Powassan virus and how to protect yourself, as mentioned by the CDC:
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Healthcare providers diagnose Powassan virus infection based on:
Treatment
(Edited by : Shoma Bhattacharjee)
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