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State health officials issued an alert on Wednesday, May 4 advising that a Windham County man between the ages of 50 and 59 has contracted the virus after becoming ill in the fourth week of March.
Tests performed at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Laboratory in Fort Collins, Colorado, confirmed the presence of antibodies to the POW virus in the Connecticut man, they said.
According to the Department of Health, the man was hospitalized with a central nervous system disease and had a known tick bite. He has since been discharged and is currently recovering from the virus at home.
“The identification of a Connecticut resident with Powassan virus-associated illness emphasizes the need to take actions to prevent tick bites from now through the late fall," DPH Commissioner Manisha Juthani announced.
"Using insect repellent, avoiding areas where ticks are likely, and checking carefully for ticks after being outside can reduce the chance of you or your children being infected with this virus."
Health officials said that cases of the POW virus are rare in the US, with approximately 25 cases reported each year since 2015
Between 2017 and 2021, just 12 cases of the POW virus were reported in Connecticut.
Two of those cases were fatal.
Juthani said that the POW virus is usually spread through the bite of an infected black-legged or deer tick.
It takes a week to one month after the bite from an infected tick to develop symptoms of the disease, and the virus can be transmitted in as little as 15 minutes after the tick first attaches.
“While most people infected with (the virus) likely experience no symptoms or a mild flu-like illness, some people will develop severe illness affecting the central nervous system,” health officials noted. "About one out of 10 cases of severe illness are fatal and approximately half of survivors experience long-term health problems.
Severe cases may begin with fever, vomiting, headache, or weakness and rapidly progress to confusion, loss of coordination, difficulty speaking, or seizures.
They noted there is no vaccine nor a specific treatment for POW virus-associated illnesses.
Severe illness is treated by supportive therapy which may include hospitalization, respiratory support, and hydration.
According to the CDC, "the best protection against all tick-borne diseases is to prevent tick bites,” and these strategies can be used to avoid being bitten:
- "Know what tick habitat is -- wooded and bushy areas with tall grass -- and use caution in areas where ticks may live;
- Avoid these areas and stay in the middle of trails whenever possible;
- Use an EPA-approved repellent on skin. Use Permethrin on clothing for added protection;
- Perform tick checks every day, and especially after leaving tick habitat and after returning home. Bathe or shower after coming inside to wash crawling ticks off your body. Also examine clothing, gear, and pets;
- Ask a veterinarian about tick bite prevention for cats and dogs."
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