Jun 29, 2026 07:24 PM
https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/...s-rise-us/
EXCERPT: Cases of Powassan virus disease in New Jersey and New Hampshire have made national headlines in recent months because of the potential severity of the symptoms, which can include neurological problems such as memory loss, difficulty speaking and seizures. That’s because Powassan can enter the central nervous system and cause encephalitis, which is inflammation of the brain, or meningitis, which is inflammation of the tissues surrounding the brain, said Saravanan Thangamani, professor of microbiology and immunology at SUNY Upstate Medical University and director of the SUNY Center for Vector-Borne Diseases.
Though Powassan virus disease is quite rare, there’s been an uptick in cases in recent years. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows seven reported cases in the United States in 2015; in 2025, that number was 76. Here’s everything you need to know about the disease, including why experts think it’s becoming more prevalent and how to protect yourself.
Powassan is named after the town in Ontario where it was discovered in 1958. In the U.S., it’s been recognized primarily in the Northeast and Upper Midwest. The deer tick (a.k.a. blacklegged tick) is the one that most commonly passes the virus to humans. Groundhog ticks and squirrel ticks are known to spread it, too, but they reside in deep wooded areas where people are less likely to go, Thangamani said.
The virus can transmit from tick to human quite rapidly. “Unlike with Lyme disease — where the tick generally needs to feed on your blood for 16 to 24 hours to transmit the disease — with Powassan, it seems like the tick does not have to be attached to you for much longer than 15 minutes or so,” said Catherine Valentine, a clinical assistant professor in the division of infectious diseases at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
The more time a Powassan-carrying tick spends feeding on you, the more of the virus gets transmitted to you, and the sicker you may become, Thangamani said... (MORE - missing details)
EXCERPT: Cases of Powassan virus disease in New Jersey and New Hampshire have made national headlines in recent months because of the potential severity of the symptoms, which can include neurological problems such as memory loss, difficulty speaking and seizures. That’s because Powassan can enter the central nervous system and cause encephalitis, which is inflammation of the brain, or meningitis, which is inflammation of the tissues surrounding the brain, said Saravanan Thangamani, professor of microbiology and immunology at SUNY Upstate Medical University and director of the SUNY Center for Vector-Borne Diseases.
Though Powassan virus disease is quite rare, there’s been an uptick in cases in recent years. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows seven reported cases in the United States in 2015; in 2025, that number was 76. Here’s everything you need to know about the disease, including why experts think it’s becoming more prevalent and how to protect yourself.
Powassan is named after the town in Ontario where it was discovered in 1958. In the U.S., it’s been recognized primarily in the Northeast and Upper Midwest. The deer tick (a.k.a. blacklegged tick) is the one that most commonly passes the virus to humans. Groundhog ticks and squirrel ticks are known to spread it, too, but they reside in deep wooded areas where people are less likely to go, Thangamani said.
The virus can transmit from tick to human quite rapidly. “Unlike with Lyme disease — where the tick generally needs to feed on your blood for 16 to 24 hours to transmit the disease — with Powassan, it seems like the tick does not have to be attached to you for much longer than 15 minutes or so,” said Catherine Valentine, a clinical assistant professor in the division of infectious diseases at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
The more time a Powassan-carrying tick spends feeding on you, the more of the virus gets transmitted to you, and the sicker you may become, Thangamani said... (MORE - missing details)