What is the tick disease that starts with 'powassan' or other diseases starting with the letter 'p', such as Southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI) or Rocky Mountain spotted fever's relative, Pacific Coast tick fever, also known as Pacific tick disease, but most likely referring to a disease caused by the bacterium, such as 'powassan virus disease' or more specifically 'powassan disease'?

From the Guidelines

Powassan virus disease is a tick-borne illness that starts with the letter P and can cause severe neurological damage, including encephalitis and meningitis, with a 10% case-fatality rate, as reported in a study published in 2017 1. The disease is transmitted primarily through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) and groundhog ticks (Ixodes cookei). Symptoms typically develop 1-4 weeks after a tick bite and may include:

• Fever
• Headache
• Vomiting
• Weakness
• Confusion
• Seizures
• Memory loss There is no specific medication or vaccine available for Powassan virus disease; treatment focuses on supportive care to manage symptoms. Prevention is crucial and includes using tick repellents containing DEET, wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants when outdoors, checking for ticks after being in wooded areas, and removing attached ticks promptly with fine-tipped tweezers, as tick bite prevention is essential in the prevention of these diseases 1. Powassan virus is concerning because it can be transmitted from tick to human in as little as 15 minutes of attachment, and it can cause severe neurological damage, with approximately 10% of severe cases resulting in death, highlighting the importance of prompt removal of attached ticks and other preventive measures.

From the Research

Tick-Borne Diseases Starting with P

• Powassan virus is a tick-borne disease that starts with the letter P, as evident from a study published in 1979 2
• The study focused on the neurotropism of Powassan virus strain P-40, which was isolated from ticks in Primorsky Krai (U.S.S.R)
• Key findings of the study included:
  • Accumulations of virus particles in neurons, glial cells, and intercellular spaces
  • Changes in nerve cells, such as chromatolysis and formation of small vacuoles
  • Alteration of the endoplasmic reticulum induced by virus morphogenesis in virus-affected cells
• The study used light and electron microscopy to examine the brains of adult white mice inoculated with the P-40 strain of Powassan virus 2