Black-legged ticks, which are known for spreading Lyme disease, were linked to Powassan encephalitis in New York state, according to a study recently published in Parasites and Vectors.

Powassan encephalitis is a disease caused by the Powassan virus and the deer tick virus. The virus spreads from infected ticks and can cause encephalitis, meningitis and central nervous system disruption. Reported cases have a 10 to 15 percent fatality rate, and many survivors suffer long-term neurological damage.

“We’ve seen a rise in this rare but serious illness in parts of New York state that are hotspots for Lyme disease,” Rick Ostfeld, one of the paper’s authors, said. “And we suspected it was tied to an increase in black-legged ticks carrying deer tick virus, particularly on the east side of the Hudson River.

via Black-legged ticks connected to encephalitis cases in New York state | Vaccine News Daily.