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A Knox County resident contracted the Powassan virus, marking the second recorded infection in Maine in a month.
The resident was likely infected in June, according to Robert Long, spokesperson for the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Nationally, 25 cases of the virus have been detected each year since 2015, with Maine detecting 10 cases since 2010, Long said.
Last month, a Waldo County resident contracted the virus and is recovering from a hospital stay. This is the first recorded infection in Maine this year.
It was not immediately clear where the two Mainers contracted the virus, however, it is transmitted to humans by deer and groundhog ticks.
Symptoms of the Powassan virus include fever, headache, vomiting, weakness, confusion, seizures, and memory loss. More serious neurological problems can arise, including infection of the brain and the membranes around the brain and spine, Long said. Serious infections can lead to death.
Powassan’s symptoms are similar to those of other tick and mosquito-borne illnesses, including Eastern Equine Encephalitis, Jamestown Canyon Virus, and West Nile Virus.
Deer ticks can also carry bacteria that cause Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and other illnesses.
No specific treatment is available for these viral diseases. Many people infected with viruses carried by ticks and mosquitoes do not have any symptoms. If you experience symptoms, call a health care provider as soon as possible.
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