A New Hampshire man is battling a serious tick-borne virus that has left him in critical condition.
According to friends and family, John Reagan, 66, is nonverbal after he was bitten by a tick while walking his dog.
He was hospitalized in Boston, where his condition deteriorated quickly after he was admitted.
“When he first went into the emergency room, he was sitting up and talking to me, and I was there with his wife,” Regan’s longtime friend Tom Wright told CBS News. “And the next day, we went to see him, and he was like nonverbal, and his muscles wouldn’t move right.”
Testing confirmed that Regan had contracted the Powassan virus.
“Most of the people I’ve talked to have never even heard the word before,” Wright said.
Indeed, Powassan is less common than other tick-borne illnesses like Lyme disease, but its effects are devastating, and cases are increasing.
Emergency room visits for tick bites jumped more than 25% nationwide in April compared to the same time last year, according to CDC data.
Last year, the CDC reported seven cases of Powassan, while a record-busting 39 cases were reported in 2019.
Wright and other friends of Reagan are fundraising to help support his recovery and to raise awareness about the dangers of Powassan.
In a bit of good news, Regan reportedly opened his eyes earlier this week and is now breathing without assistance.
What is Powassan virus — and who is at risk?
Powassan belongs to a group of viruses that can cause infection of the brain or the membranes around the brain and spinal cord, and is typically spread to humans after they’re bitten by an infected woodchuck or deer tick.
Those who live or work near brushy or woody areas, or are avid outdoorsmen like Regan, are more likely to be exposed to potentially infected ticks.
Powassan is particularly worrisome because of the ease with which the illness spreads: A tick attached to a human needs 36 to 48 hours to transfer Lyme disease, but it can transfer the Powassan virus in just 15 minutes.
What are the symptoms of Powassan virus?
People with the Powassan virus don’t always show symptoms. If they do, they can look like the flu, with fever, headache or vomiting.
Symptoms can appear one week to one month after the patient is bitten. Severe infections are characterized by a faster onset and more serious symptoms, including brain or spinal inflammation, confusion, seizures, tremors, difficulty speaking and issues with coordination.
Powassan is diagnosed based on clinical symptoms and tests of blood or cerebrospinal fluid that detect antibodies produced by the immune system against the virus.
How deadly is Powassan — and how is it treated?
Because there’s no cure for Powassan, nor a vaccine to prevent it, doctors prescribe rest, fluids and over-the-counter painkillers for most cases, which can last up to a month.
More serious cases like Regan’s can require hospitalization for breathing support and to reduce brain swelling.
About 10% of people with severe Powassan die, while 60% have permanent disability, according to the CDC.
Survivors may have long-term health problems like headaches, memory problems, and a loss of muscle strength.
While anyone can develop serious complications from the Powassan virus, older adults, children and people with weakened immune systems are at a higher risk.
Some health experts have noted that a warming climate helps spread Powassan and other tick-borne diseases, since milder winters and earlier springs create ideal conditions for warm-weather pests like ticks.
Most cases of Powassan virus have occurred in the Northeastern US — from Maine south to Virginia — and westward across the Great Lakes region to Minnesota. Other cases have been reported in Russia and Canada. The first known case occurred in Powassan, Ontario, in 1958, giving the virus its name.
The primary season for tick activity — and reports of tick-borne illnesses — typically starts in March and peaks in May and June, with a second, smaller increase in mid-autumn.
The most efficient way to protect against tick-borne diseases is to use insect repellent and wear clothing that covers your skin in areas with high tick populations, and to check yourself and your pets for ticks.
The CDC says the only way to prevent Powassan and Lyme disease is to avoid exposure to ticks by spraying insect repellent with at least 20 percent DEET, picaridin, or IR3535, and treating clothes with products that contain permethrin.
