You've heard of Lyme disease, but Minnesota's ticks carry another illness
With the warm weather comes deer ticks. They carry not only Lyme disease but also Powassan virus.
"Most of the day is spent in front of a microscope identifying mosquitoes and ticks and black flies," said Scott Larson.
Such is the life of an entomologist at the
Metropolitan Mosquito Control District
. But despite the daily routine, they're always discovering something new.
"Ticks are much more important as far as human disease goes in this area," said Larson, an assistant entomologist.
Lyme disease gets a lot of attention, but as they've seen an uptick in deer tick numbers over the years, another illness has caught their eye.
"It's an extremely rare disease but it is something you should be very aware of," said Janet Jarnefeld with tick vector services.
It's called Powassan virus and it can be fatal to the elderly or people who are immuno-compromised. While it has similar symptoms to Lyme disease, with a headache and vomiting, it's believed it infects people much faster.
"For Powassan virus, it's unknown but you could possibly become infected only 15 minutes after a tick bites you," said Jarnefeld.
Unlike other
tick-borne diseases
, there is no treatment or cure for Powassan virus. The illness has to run its course.
But prevention is the same: wearing long pants and boots in the woods and using certain insect repellents.
In Minnesota, there were only 14 cases of Powassan last year. But it's enough of a concern that MMCD has started collecting samples to learn as much as they can about the virus.
"There are always new things to learn and new things coming up on the horizons," said Jarnefeld.
The Metropolitan Mosquito Control District says it's too early to tell if tick numbers will be high this year, but they did collect a high number of larval ticks last year, which sometimes means an increase the following year. Experts say Powassan virus originated in Canadian ticks before coming to the U.S.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
10 minutes ago
- Newsweek
US Air Quality Alerts Lifted Nationwide
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. As of early Friday morning, the United States has no active air quality alerts after a week of warnings, partly related to smoke from widespread Canadian wildfires. The National Weather Service's (NWS) online map showed the removal of all advisories that had covered the Midwest, Northeast, and other regions earlier in the week. Why It Matters The clearing of air quality alerts marks a significant improvement after days of hazardous smoke drifted from Canada into the U.S., leading to unhealthy air in cities from Minneapolis to New York. Widespread exposure to wildfire smoke heightened health risks, particularly for sensitive groups, and prompted public health warnings in multiple states. What To Know On Thursday, 10 states were affected by air quality alerts, including Minnesota, Wisconsin, Montana, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, New York, New Jersey, and Maryland. While not all were explicitly linked to wildfire smoke, an alert for Minnesota warned that smoke had caused levels of fine particles to climb in to "unhealthy for sensitive groups" category, which includes infants and older adults. "Reduce vehicle trips and vehicle idling as much as possible," the alert said at the time. It also suggested reducing other activities that contribute to air pollution, such as outdoor burning. On Monday, Ohio, Maine, and New Hampshire were under air quality alerts, with officials in Maine recommending that individuals consider limiting strenuous outdoor physical activity to reduce the risk of adverse health effects. Tuesday saw alerts issued for parts of Arizona and Ohio. On Wednesday, six Michigan counties were under air quality alert, with mapping from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) showing high levels of air pollution in several other states, including Montana, and North Dakota. The sun is shrouded by smoke from wildfires in Canada as it rises behind the skyline of midtown Manhattan in New York City on June 11 as seen from Jersey City, New Jersey. The sun is shrouded by smoke from wildfires in Canada as it rises behind the skyline of midtown Manhattan in New York City on June 11 as seen from Jersey City, New People Are Saying Professor of pediatric respiratory and environmental medicine Jonathan Grigg, with Queen Mary, University of London, previously told Newsweek: "There are vulnerable groups and classically they are children because they've got an extra issue to do with their lungs developing, whereas our lungs are not developing as adults. "Their trajectory can be deviated so they don't actually achieve their maximum lung function." There are also "very clear links" between inhaling particles and earlier death from both respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, Grigg said. Additionally, Grigg said conditions such as asthma are also exacerbated by exposure to air pollution. What Happens Next? Though there may be no air quality alerts for now, forecasters at AccuWeather are predicting that smoke from Canadian wildfires could continue to impact the U.S. through the summer, leading to hazy skies and potentially promoting additional air quality alerts in the coming months.
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
10 Hours Into Flight, Millennial's Heart Stops
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. What started as a carefree girls' trip was nearly fatal for 34-year-old Emily Jansson, a Canadian woman who suffered a massive pulmonary embolism midair during a long-haul flight. "On February 5 of this year, during a solo long-haul direct flight from Toronto to Dubai, on the way to meet my friends for a girls' trip, I suffered a 'catastrophic medical event,' according to my cardiologist," Jansson told Newsweek. "About 10.5 hours into the flight, I was feeling totally fine and I finally got up—for the first time that flight—to use the restroom. I had been sleeping up until this point," Jansson said. But what happened next was a medical emergency that most passengers and travelers only imagine in nightmares. "While waiting for the bathroom, I had a deep, strange pain in my chest, coughed three times, and that was the last thing I remember," Jansson said. "I collapsed, hit my head on something, and went into cardiac arrest due to a massive bilateral saddle pulmonary embolism. I was unconscious for upwards of five minutes or more, according to the flight attendant who I remain in touch with." "I had a deep, strange pain in my chest, coughed three times and that was the last thing I remember." Thankfully, there was a doctor onboard the flight who immediately jumped into action. Flight attendants administered oxygen and monitored her during the remaining 2.5 hours of the flight, but when she landed in Dubai, Jansson's ordeal was far from over. "I was held in Dubai airport for 3.5 hours upon landing while they administered their own medical tests and took my passport away for immigration purposes," Jansson said. "It was nine hours between landing and getting to the hospital before starting the actual treatment." Pictures from the viral video where Emily shared her story with others. Pictures from the viral video where Emily shared her story with others. @alwayssingingmom/TikTok Jansson was eventually admitted to Rashid Hospital where she spent six days in intensive care. Jansson said: "The doctors told me it's a miracle I'm alive because of the amount of time it took before actually receiving treatment at the hospital. However, I must say that the treatment and care I received at Dubai's hospital was incredible and they are amazing." "I died on a plane three months ago." Jansson, who had no prior history of blood clots or thrombophilia, was wearing medical-grade compression tights and had been on a combined estrogen oral contraceptive. Her cardiologist identified the contraceptive, along with prolonged immobility during the 13-hour flight, as the cause of the medical crisis. "At the time, I was on an estrogen hormonal oral contraceptive pill. I had no prior history of blood clots or major risk factors, aside from being on the pill and prolonged immobility. My doctors in Dubai, followed by my care team in Canada, attributed the clots to a combination of long-haul immobility and estrogen-containing birth control," Jansson said. Are Contraceptives Dangerous During Long-Haul Flights? Delisa Skeete Henry, MD, a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist, told Newsweek: "Oral contraceptives, particularly combined estrogen-progestin pills, are associated with an increased risk of venous thromboembolism, which includes pulmonary embolism. [My recommendation is] to use the lowest-effective estrogen dose or consider progestin-only pills." She also recommends discontinuing oral contraceptive pills before major surgery or prolonged immobilization. Research shows that long-haul air travel doubles the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), and that risk increases three- to fivefold when using combined oral contraceptives. "I had no idea about the clot risk when combining estrogen birth control with long-haul travel." When both factors are present, the risk can multiply more than 14 times, according to a case-control study published in 2003. This means women who fly long distances while taking hormonal birth control may face significantly greater danger than previously thought. Now in recovery, Jansson has shared her story publicly in hopes of helping others recognize the risks associated with long-haul travel and hormonal contraceptives. In a recent video on her TikTok page, she said: "I died on a plane three months ago, and it's so crazy because now I'm back working out. I'm going about my life but I literally died three months ago." "I had no idea about the clot risk when combining estrogen birth control with long-haul travel. No doctor had ever explained that to me," Jansson said. "I lived abroad in Singapore and Europe for 10 years, working for Interpol and traveled constantly for work, all while on the pill. I used to joke that my superpower was being able to sleep the whole way. Looking back now, that feels incredibly naive." Experts advise that women at higher risk of blood clots should take preventive measures during flights, including moving regularly, staying hydrated and using compression stockings. In very high-risk cases, it can be a good idea to stop use of hormonal contraceptives, but this should always be discussed with a health care provider. "It truly appears to have been a 'perfect storm' situation," Jansson said. "I'm on blood thinners for the foreseeable future and recovering well physically, though it's been a long and emotional road. I'm no longer on hormonal birth control." Jansson has been sharing her experience on TikTok, where millions of people have learned about the potential risks of flying and birth control combined. The response has been huge, and Jansson is thrilled she has been able to raise more awareness. "It's been emotional, but also really affirming to know it might help someone else avoid what I went through," she said. References Martinelli, I., Taioli, E., Battaglioli, T., Podda, G. M., Passamonti, S. M., Pedotti, P., & Mannucci, P. M. (2003). Risk of Venous Thromboembolism After Air Travel. Archives of Internal Medicine, 163 (22), 2771. Trenor, C. C., Chung, R. J., Michelson, A. D., Neufeld, E. J., Gordon, C. M., Laufer, M. R., & Emans, S. J. (2011). Hormonal Contraception and Thrombotic Risk: A Multidisciplinary Approach. Pediatrics, 127(2), 347—357.
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Yahoo
Canadian wildfire smoke chokes north-central Montana
Smoke in Helena is shown in 2021. North-central Montana could be in for a long year as Canadian smoke already is pouring into the state. (Photo Matt Volz / Kaiser Health News). Smoke from Canadian wildfires drifted down heavily into Montana on Wednesday and Thursday, covering a large swath of north-central Montana. Air monitoring stations in Choteau, Cut Bank, Havre and Glasgow all had periods of 'Unhealthy' air over the last 48 hours, with air quality index moving over 200 on Wednesday morning in some towns. As of 5 p.m. on Thursday, the AQI in many of those places had dropped down into the moderate category. 'Low pressure moving across the state on Thursday will result in reductions in surface smoke concentrations,' Montana DEQ said in a Facebook post. 'A series of storms will provide beneficial rainfall for the region into the weekend.' When air gets smokey, it's best to be inside and avoid extreme outdoor physical exertion. Air filters can also help vulnerable populations. Fire have been burning in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan since May. Some Canadian smoke has even drifted as far as Europe. Over 7.8 million acres have burned in Canada this year, and there are over 200 active wildfires in Canada. The 25-year average for Canadian acreage burned from wildfires is 7.3 million acres. Montana has had several small wildfires early this season. Forecasts call for an active fire season in the state.
