Powassan Virus?

[purplewitch]

Okay so,I live in an area where the tick bourne Powassan Virus is supposed to be. New York to be exact,I'm not upstate though (generally where there is a lot of woodland and grassy areas such as where ticks are.) On friday,I volunteered to take a cat that lives in a store (hes a stray) to get fixed. Which is nice and all but I'm scared that he has ticks,the vets checked him and all and said he was clean but I have other cats in the house and they have been fighting with the poor cat. So I'm scared that I've contracted a tick from my cats.I keep checking myself for ticks and all but nothing. I'm so scared.

Its a rare disease,only 75 people have gotten it but I'm really scared
just remembered i was in a park with some grass three weeks ago,im really scared now

[NancyW]

I'm not quite understanding, did you see a tick on any of the cats? Did you see a tick on yourself?

Did you see a bite or the bullseye rash anywhere on your body ?

[purplewitch]

I'm not quite understanding, did you see a tick on any of the cats? Did you see a tick on yourself?

Did you see a bite or the bullseye rash anywhere on your body ?

Well,no I don't see ticks or bullseye rash anywhere

[NancyW]

Then why the fuss ?

[purplewitch]

Then why the fuss ?

I don't know if I'm just making a huge fuss about this but I really am worried. Espeically now since three weeks ago (on a hot day may i add) I was in the park. I feel like I'm going to get this virus which has no cure.

[snowghost57]

I have never heard of Powassan Virus, so I googled it. (not Dr. google) According to the CDC there have been 75 cases in the past TEN years, and they were in the Great Lakes region and NE. I live in a rural area in Virginia and I have had as many as 13 feral cats, have had cats as pets for over 20 years and I have never picked a tick off a cat. I went hunting for asparagus in the tall grassy areas in the country, I found two ticks crawling on my neck, no biggie I just burn them in the ash tray, (nasty little creatures) I doubt seriously that you are infected, you have not been bitten and the cats do not have ticks, so put it out of your mind and forget about it. You don't see ticks in a park as the grass is kept trimmed and the probably use fertilizer and other chemicals.

[NancyW]

I don't know if I'm just making a huge fuss about this but I really am worried. Espeically now since three weeks ago (on a hot day may i add) I was in the park. I feel like I'm going to get this virus which has no cure.

The vet said the cat was clean
You have not seen any ticks
You have no bites.

How do you think you got it ?

[Fishmanpa]

I read about this on one of the news websites and was just waiting to see it here ;)

Like SnowGhost, I'm in a rural area of VA. The Shenandoah National Park is practically in my back yard. That means deer all over the place, tons of other critters and an occasional bear. All are tick carriers. I'm up in the park performing at the resorts and hike in the woods quite often as well as enjoy other outdoor activities. In all the years I've been here (12), I found just a couple of ticks crawling on me.

Use common sense (dress properly and use repellent) and there's absolutely NO REASON to be concerned. You're talking about something the same risk as the brain eating amoeba. This is so air tight that there's no room to squeeze a "what if" into the cracks of your logic.

Positive thoughts