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Tick populations are expanding across the U.S., driving an increase in tick-borne diseases. Among them is Powassan virus, a rare but increasingly reported infection that can cause severe brain inflammation and lasting neurological complications.

Although reported cases are growing, scientists still know relatively little about the virus and how it causes serious illness. In three recent studies, Georgia State University researchers are helping fill that gap by developing new laboratory models, identifying how the body's immune system fights the infection and uncovering changes in the brain that could point to future treatments.

Powassan virus is transmitted by the same blacklegged ticks that spread Lyme disease. Unlike Lyme disease, which is caused by bacteria and can be treated with antibiotics, Powassan virus has no specific treatment or vaccine. In severe cases, an infection can cause encephalitis or meningitis.

As warming temperatures and expanding tick habitats contribute to rising case numbers, the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have identified tick-borne diseases as a growing public health concern.

Most reported U.S. cases of Powassan virus occur in the Northeast and Great Lakes regions. In 2023, 49 cases were reported in the U.S., the most in a single year since 2004, according to the CDC.

"Our goal is to build the scientific foundation needed to better understand this emerging virus and ultimately identify new ways to prevent or treat the severe neurological disease it can cause," said Mukesh Kumar, an associate professor in the Department of Biology and director of the Molecular Basis of Disease program at Georgia State.

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