A toddler contracted a rare, potentially fatal tick-borne virus and now one side of his body is weak. Two weeks after being bitten by a tick, he was hospitalized with a headache and a fever of over 103 degrees. The boy was diagnosed with Powassan virus disease and treated with unproven antibody therapy.
A Pennsylvania toddler contracted a rare tick-borne virus from his family’s backyard and is now weak on the left side of his body, according to his mom. Jonny Simoson, 3, was in good health when his mom, Jamie, spotted a live tick on his right shoulder while he was swimming, he told Insider. Jamie Simoson said she easily removed the tick with tweezers within 15 minutes, leaving a “tiny red bump”. Two weeks later, he began complaining of headaches, became unusually sleepy and had a fever over 103 degrees Fahrenheit, Simoson said. After two visits to the pediatrician, Simoson took Jonny to the emergency room. The next 12 days were a blur of MRIs and CT scans, a spinal tap, antibiotics and antivirals as doctors investigated the cause of his symptoms, first on a general ward and then in the pediatric intensive care unit. Eventually, after ruling out other causes, doctors diagnosed him with meningoencephalitis caused by the Powassan virus, Simoson wrote in a blog post. “It was so frustrating looking for an answer. We were terrified that we might not be coming home with our child,” Simoson said.
Powassan virus, transmitted by deer ticks, is rare
People catch Powassan virus from infected black-legged ticks, also known as deer ticks. It is typically diagnosed by examining the spinal fluid. The data suggest that between six and 39 cases are reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention each year, mostly in northeastern states and the Great Lakes region in late spring, early summer and mid-fall, when deer ticks are more active. Most people have no symptoms, but the virus can cause confusion, loss of coordination, difficulty speaking and seizures if it infects the brain or its membranes. The story continues About one in 10 people who get severe illness from Powassan virus die, and about half of those who survive are left with long-term loss of muscle and strength, according to the CDC. Meningoencephalitis, Jonny’s diagnosis, is a serious condition where the brain and the delicate tissues surrounding it become inflamed. Black-legged ticks can transmit Powassan virus. Ladislav Kubeš/Getty Images
Johnny was treated with antibodies
There are no proven cures for Powassan virus disease, so most people with severe disease are treated in hospital with supportive measures, including IV fluids and oxygen. However, Jonny was treated with five doses of disease-fighting antibodies from blood donors, a treatment called intravenous immunoglobulin therapy, which has been used to treat lupus and children with heart disease. Dr. Swathi Gowtham, a pediatric infectious disease specialist in Danville, Pennsylvania, who was involved in the case, told CBS Philly that Jonny responded “very well” to treatment. “Whether it’s because of the IVIG, I can’t really say,” he said, adding that “more studies need to be done” on the use of IVIG for Powassan virus. Johnny was discharged from hospital after 12 days, but was weak on one side of his body and needed physical rehabilitation and speech therapy. His parents had to teach him how to eat and drink again. “Johnny wasn’t walking yet and his balance was poor. We knew we had a lot of work to do, but we were up for the challenge,” Simoson wrote. “We’re really confident that the progress he’s made will continue,” Simoson told CBS Philly. Read the original article on Insider