Invades the central nervous system
Causes encephalitis (brain swelling) or meningitis (inflammation of brain/spinal cord linings)
Symptoms escalate rapidly:
→ High fever
→ Severe headache
→ Confusion, loss of coordination
→ Seizures, paralysis
→ Coma
Fatality rate: ~10% of severe cases
Long-term disability: ~50% of survivors suffer permanent neurological damage (memory loss, muscle weakness, speech issues)
Kevin’s Timeline: A Warning in Real Time
Early April 2024: Mild fatigue, low-grade fever—dismissed as “spring allergies” or a cold.
Days later: Debilitating headaches, vomiting, brain fog.
Within a week: Confusion, inability to concentrate, extreme lethargy.
Urgent hospitalization: MRI and spinal tap revealed viral encephalitis.
Diagnosis: Powassan virus—confirmed via blood and CSF testing.
Outcome: Despite intensive care, Kevin passed away just weeks after symptoms began.
“We never saw the tick. We never thought… this,” his family shared.
How to Protect Yourself (Especially in Tick Season)
1. Know High-Risk Areas
Powassan is most common in:
Northeastern U.S. (Maine to Virginia)
Great Lakes region (Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan)
Wooded, brushy, or grassy areas—especially May–July
2. Prevent Tick Bites
Wear light-colored clothing (ticks are easier to spot)
Tuck pants into socks, wear long sleeves
Use EPA-approved repellents:
→ DEET (20–30%)
→ Picaridin
→ Permethrin (on clothing only—kills ticks on contact)
3. Do Daily Tick Checks
Ticks hide in scalp, armpits, groin, behind knees
Shower within 2 hours of coming indoors—helps wash off unattached ticks
Tumble dry clothes on high heat for 10 mins to kill hidden ticks
4. Remove Ticks Properly
Use fine-tipped tweezers
Grasp as close to skin as possible
Pull straight up with steady pressure
Do NOT use matches, oil, or folklore methods—they increase infection risk
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