Rare tick-borne virus turns deadly fast as US cases reach record high, experts warn - Fox News

Video Popular getaway tests unusual solution as Lyme disease threat persists MIT researchers are testing whether mice born with protective antibodies can help reduce Lyme disease transmission on Nantucket by preventing ticks from acquiring the bacteria responsible for the illness. (This video contains AI-assisted content) A rare and potentially fatal tick-borne illness currently spreading across the United States can be traced back to a 1958 case involving a young boy on a farm. The disease, known as Powassan virus, was named for the Ontario town near where it was first discovered. At the time of his death, Lincoln Byers, a 4-year-old living in Canada, had a condition that medical professionals could not explain, the Boston Globe reported. DEADLY ‘FOX TAPEWORM’ LINKED TO LETHAL DISEASE DETECTED IN WEST COAST WILDLIFE Years later, researchers discovered a tick harboring the same virus on a dead squirrel, finally providing an answer to the tragedy, but foreshadowing a growing public health challenge. While once considered an obscure medical anomaly, Powassan virus cases have reached historic highs in the U.S., data show. Powassan is most prevalent from late spring through mid-fall, when tick populations peak and outdoor activity increases. (iStock) According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 76 Americans were diagnosed with the virus in 2025, the highest annual total on record. Previously, the U.S. averaged just seven to eight diagnoses each year. The virus is primarily transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected woodchuck tick or deer tick. Like other tick-borne illnesses, Powassan is most prevalent from late spring through mid-fall, when tick populations peak and outdoor activity increases. Public health experts warn that the virus's transmission speed makes it uniquely dangerous. TICK BITE ER VISITS HIT HIGHEST SEASONAL LEVEL IN YEARS AS DOCTORS WARN OF DISEASE SURGE "One of the most dangerous aspects is its rapid transmission," Dr. Jorge P. Parada, a medical advisor at the National Pest Management Association in Chicago, told Fox News Digital. "Powassan can be transmitted in as little as 15 minutes after the infected tick bites, while Lyme disease usually requires a 36- to 48-hour attachment time for transmission." Powassan carries an incubation period of one to four weeks before symptoms manifest. (iStock) Parada noted that while Powassan remains rare compared to Lyme disease, it poses clinical concern. Dr. Marc Siegel, senior medical analyst for Fox News, confirmed that the virus transmits significantly faster than Lyme disease. He noted that Powassan carries an incubation period of one to four weeks before symptoms manifest. TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ Initial symptoms include fever, headache, vomiting and weakness, though some infected individuals remain asymptomatic, according to the CDC. There are currently no specific medications or vaccines to treat or prevent Powassan virus. (iStock) The virus can progress to severe neurological complications, including encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and meningitis (inflammation of the spinal cord membranes).