Life-Threatening Tick-Bourne Disease Found In Dutchess

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY — The Dutchess County Department of Behavioral and Community Health confirms a case of Powassan virus, a rare but potentially serious tick-bourne disease, in a resident of the county. The person contracted the virus in the late spring and is currently recovering at home.

Commissioner Anil K. Vaidian, MD, said ticks may be active in Dutchess County throughout the year if temperatures are above freezing, though the risk of contracting tick-bourne diseases peaks in June and July.

“Residents should remain diligent about tick bite prevention practices as they enjoy outdoor activities in these waning weeks of summer,” he said.

SEE:

• New Type Of Tick Found In Westchester
• Voracious Asian Tick Arrives Rockland

Powassan virus can cause symptoms ranging from a mild flu-like illness to life-threatening neurologic disease. While Powassan virus is a known risk from tick bites, it is a much rarer disease than more commonly diagnosed tick-borne infections like Lyme disease, anaplasmosis and babesiosis. Since 2007, there have been a total of 30 cases of Powassan in the state. Dutchess County has had a total of seven cases, with the first recorded in 2009.

Best practices to prevent tick bites include:

• Walking in the center of clear, well-traveled trails and avoiding walking through dense woods or brush.
• Wearing light-colored clothing so ticks can be easily spotted; closed-toe shoes; long pants tucked into socks; and long-sleeved shirts as a barrier between your skin and ticks in the environment.
• Wearing clothing treated with permethrin to repel and kill ticks.
• Using EPA-registered insect repellents containing the active ingredient DEET, Picaridin or IR3535.

“Frequent full-body tick checks and prompt removal of any attached ticks remain a crucial element in preventing transmission of tick-borne disease,” said Vaidian. “We do need to be mindful that Powassan virus has been shown to have the capacity for transmission with short periods of tick attachment. So to prevent this disease, it is important for residents to check for ticks throughout the day and as soon as possible when returning inside.”

More information about ticks and tick-borne disease prevention, including recently added video resources, can be found here.

Image via Shutterstock.