2019, Number 1
Rev Latin Infect Pediatr 2019; 32 (1)
Powassan virus: a seldom studied flavivirus transmitted by ticks
Zúñiga CIR, Lozano JC
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Language: Spanish
References: 7
Page: 11-14
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ABSTRACT
The most common clinical presentations of human diseases caused by POWV infection are encephalitis, meningoencephalitis and aseptic meningitis, with an incubation period ranging from eight to 34 days. The Powassan virus is transmitted by ticks, specifically the species Ixodes cookei, marxi and scapularis. There are two lineages of the Powassan virus, lineage 1 and lineage 2; both are capable of causing human diseases. POWV infections in humans typically involve febrile diseases followed by neurological involvement, resulting in a 10% mortality rate, with permanent and severe neurological sequelae in 50% of survivors. Long-term neurological sequelae in patients who survive POWV encephalitis include hemiplegia, muscle atrophy, severe chronic headaches and memory problems. Migration of mammals and the movement of warmer temperatures circulated the virus, consequently increasing its incidence. Other factors for the spread of the Powassan virus are the increased population of white-tailed deer and migratory birds, which propagate and introduce ticks to new regions.REFERENCES