Massachusetts resident contracts rare tick-borne disease that can cause brain infection and death

A Massachusetts resident has caught a rare but potentially fatal tick-borne disease, officials said this week in the town of Maynard, where the patient lives.

Mayor of Maynard City, Greg Johnson, and Maynard's Public Health Division announced Wednesday that the resident, who they had not identified, had been diagnosed with the condition. Powassan encephalitis, more commonly known as Powassan virus.

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Officials did not say when the resident was diagnosed or where he may have contracted the virus.

Powassan virus – which "belongs to a group of viruses that can cause a brain infection (encephalitis) or membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord (meningitis)," according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is usually transmitted to humans after being bitten by an infected tick of groundhogs or deer. According to the federal agency, people who live or work near brush or woodland areas are more likely to be exposed to potentially infected ticks.

People infected with the virus usually suffer from fever, headache, vomiting, weakness, confusion, convulsions and memory loss.

Patients often need respiratory support and treatment for brain swelling, but there is no medicine to treat the virus, nor any vaccine to prevent it. About 10% of cases lead to death, says the CDC.

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Powassan virus is rare, with an average of seven cases reported each year in the United States. Most cases of viruses – first discovered in Powassan, Ontario – occurred in the Northeastern and Great Lakes regions of the United States.

"Tick bites occur all year round and diseases and viruses associated with a tick bite can become difficult medical problems in the long term. Residents need to protect themselves from tick bites by monitoring themselves every day throughout the year, "said Kelly Pawluczonek, Maynard Health Officer, in a statement. "Residents should also use an insect repellent / insect repellent on the outside and wear light colored clothing so that ticks are easily visible."