A resident of the State of Maine, in the United States, has just died of Powassan encephalomyelitis, a rare form of encephalitis transmitted by ticks. This virus is transmitted to humans by the bite of a tick that has itself become infected after feeding on the blood of rodents that have the Powassan virus in their blood.
Even if the cases are still very rare, for ten years the United States and Canada have noticed an emergence of this disease. Between 2011 and 2020, the total number of Powassan encephalomyelitis cases reported to the United States Centers for Disease Control was 194 with 22 deaths.
In France, no case has yet been listed but the Mediterranean basin could be considered as a risk area due to the presence in the South of France, for a few years, of new varieties of ticks such as “the tick with legs striped” (Hyalomma marginatum) capable of transmitting viruses to humans.
How to protect yourself from ticks?
- Stay on clear and well traveled paths
- Wear light-colored clothing to easily spot ticks
- Tuck pants into socks
- Take a shower as soon as possible after spending time outdoors
- Check everyone, including pets, at the end of the ride and remove any ticks quickly and properly.
Read also :
- Testimonial: I came back from the hell of Lyme disease
- Ticks: one out of two bites occurs in gardens
- Lyme disease: symptoms, diagnosis