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PROVIDENCE, RI – A resident of Rhode Island has been diagnosed with a rare tick-borne disease that can cause muscle weakness or even paralysis, state public health officials said Tuesday.
The Powassan virus disease case has been confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the state Department of Health said in an emailed statement.
The case was confirmed in a previously healthy man over 70 from Providence County, who developed neurological symptoms and is now recovering, officials said.
Powassan is found primarily in the Northeast and Great Lakes regions of the United States and in eastern Canada. Only about 166 cases have been reported in the United States over the past 10 years, health officials said.
The first symptoms include fever, headache, vomiting, and weakness. It usually progresses to inflammation of the brain membranes, altered mental status, seizures, difficulty understanding or speaking, muscle weakness or paralysis, movement disorders or cranial nerve palsies.
The disease can often lead to hospitalization. There is no vaccine or treatment for Powassan, so preventing exposure to ticks is the best way to avoid the disease.
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