US state confirms first case of tick-borne virus: 'Ticks can and will be found almost anywhere'

Residents of Allegheny County in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, have been put on alert after a child contracted the state's first 2024 case of a tick-borne virus.

What's happening?

According to Allegheny County's website, a child tested positive for Powassan virus disease in August, marking the first-ever human case of the virus in the county.

The child developed a fever and other related symptoms and was admitted to the hospital. They have since been discharged and are recovering at home. 

Powassan virus disease is a tick-borne disease that can be spread to people after being bitten by an infected black-legged tick. These parasitic arachnids can also spread Lyme disease, and they carry the Powassan virus after feeding on an infected rodent.  

"Ticks can and will be found almost anywhere," Kristen Mertz, a medical epidemiologist with ACHD, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "Black-legged tick nymphs (primarily active May, June, & July) prefer leaf litter, while the adults (active Sept-April) prefer grasses in forest edges & trail edges."

Why is this case of Powassan virus disease concerning?

As the Post-Gazette observed, while Powassan virus disease is not as common as Lyme disease, instances are increasing. This has been attributed to reforestation patterns and milder winters, which are allowing tick populations to increase.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, temperature changes as a result of human-caused global heating are expanding the range of ticks. Deer ticks, for example, thrive in temperatures with at least 85% humidity. 

If more sustained warmer temperatures are presenting optimal conditions for tick survival, they will be present in woodland ecosystems for longer periods, extending the potential exposure time for tick-borne illnesses among humans.

"Unlike some other vector-borne diseases, tick-borne disease patterns are generally less influenced by short-term changes in weather (weeks to months) than by longer-term climate change," the EPA noted.

What can be done about tick-borne illnesses?

Reducing potential exposure is key to minimizing the risk of being bitten by a tick. For example, wearing clothes that cover your arms and legs when walking in grassy areas or among leaf litter will present less of a chance for ticks to bite into skin.

The Post-Gazette recommended removing embedded ticks with fine-tip tweezers and visiting a healthcare professional if you become sick following a bite. Powassan virus disease symptoms can develop from a week to a month after exposure, and a non-specific rash is an indicator of possible infection.

But since ticks thrive in warmer conditions, taking steps to slow the rate of global heating is also crucial. It might seem a strange method of prevention, but accessing energy from renewable sources, cutting meat from your diet, and even recycling more can help reduce planet-warming pollution and thus cool the planet, limiting the ideal weather conditions for ticks to thrive in. 

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