Powassan Virus Lineage I in Field-Collected Dermacentor variabilis Ticks, New York, USA

Abstract

Powassan virus is a tickborne flavivirus that can cause lethal or debilitating neurologic illness. It is canonically transmitted by Ixodes spp. ticks but might spill over to sympatric Dermacentor species. We detected Powassan virus lineage I from a pool of field-collected D. variabilis ticks in New York, USA.

Keywords

• Powassan virus
• Dermacentor variabilis
• dog tick
• vector-borne infections
• New York
• ticks