Two cases of
Powassan virus, a potentially fatal tick disease, have been confirmed in Maine
for the first time. Like Lyme Disease,
Powassan is carried by deer ticks.
 |
| AREAS OF POWASSAN TICK INFECTION |
Powassan is
found to be fatal in about one out of six cases and approximately 50% of the
people effected develop neurological problems.
Because
Powassan is a virus there is no cure, so doctors can only treat the symptoms
and hope the body’s immune system will combat the illness.
Unlike Lyme
Disease, which is bacteria, a virus is not technically a living organism, so it
cannot be killed. Virus cannot multiply
(procreate); but they attach themselves to a host cell and implant their DNA,
and when the host cells divide those new cells carry the virus DNA.
in the 1960’s
and 1970’s I was a military survival instructor stationed in Maine. Hundreds of nights I slept on the ground in
the woods, and have trained thousands of students: neither I or any of our
students were ever bothered with a single tick.
Now you can’t
mow your lawn without checking yourself for ticks before coming in the
house. Anytime you walk off a paved
surface you are in danger of picking up ticks.
 |
| SOME TICKS ARE SO SMALL THEY ARE HARD TO FIND ON YOUR BODY |
Regardless
of frequent storms, or sea rise; I think you can track global warming by paying
attention to animal and insect migration.
Sometimes over the last thirty years, ticks
have migrated to Maine.
Prevention
is the defense. If you are going into
fields or into the woods, wear long pants and long sleeve shirts. Stuff your pants cuff into your socks,
liberally use insect repellent on your pants legs, shoes and hat, as well as
exposed skin.
Best of luck
this summer
the Ol’Buzzard
