Woman in the US dies after being infected with the Powassan virus spread by fleas, what are the symptoms?

KOMPAS.com – A female patient in Connecticutterritory in the state United States of America (USA) dies after testing positive Powassan virus.

According to the United States Department of Public Health, the 90-year-old woman is the second person recorded to have been infected with the Powassan virus this year.

As reported by IndependentSaturday (11/6/2022) local officials said that the patient had a rare disease, after being bitten box at the beginning of last month.

Later, he was hospitalized, but his condition worsened until he was finally declared dead on May 17, 2022.

Read also: Powassan Virus Spread by Fleas Causes Death in Maine

This is not the first time this has happened in the United States. Because, in April 2022 the same thing happened to a man in Maine, a region in the US state as a result of Powassan virus infection.

As for the case found in Maine, the patient experienced neurological symptoms and died while in hospital.

To note, the Powassan virus can be spread through the bite of an infected deer tick (Ixodes scapularis), ground tick (Ixodes cookei), and squirrel tick (Ixodes marxi).

The virus is known to spread frequently in the Great Lakes region of North America, between late spring and mid-fall.

So, what are the symptoms of Powassan virus infection?

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says most people who contract the Powassan virus have no symptoms.

However, those exposed can experience clinical symptoms including fever, headache, vomiting, and weakness for one week to one month after being bitten by a contaminated tick.

The CDC also notes that one in 10 cases has an infection of the brain, known as encephalitis or the membranes surrounding the brain, and spinal cord (meningitis).

In such cases, symptoms that may be experienced include confusion, loss of coordination, difficulty speaking and seizures.

Powassan virus infection It also causes long-term health problems, in 50 percent of severe cases.

Read also: Suspected Dangerous Heartland Virus Found in Lice, Researchers Say

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