Reece, Rebecca

Rebecca Reece, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine (Clinical)
Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University
Providence, RI
[email protected]

First Confirmed Case of Powassan Neuroinvasive Disease in Rhode Island (co-presenting with Dr. Patel)

Dr. Rebecca Reece completed her internal medicine residency at West Virginia University and infectious disease fellowship at Brown University, where she has remained on as co-director of the Lifespan Lyme Disease Center. She also works closely with the Rhode Island Department of Health as co-chair of the Antimicrobial Stewardship and Environmental Cleaning Task Force.

Conference Lecture Summary

The Powassan Virus is the tick-borne vector responsible for Powassan neuroinvasive disease. The virus was first isolated in 1958 and has been responsible for approximately 100 cases of neuroinvasive disease. Rates of infection have been on the rise over the past decade with numerous states reporting their first confirmed case; New Jersey, New Hampshire and Connecticut all reported their first case within the last five years. The following presentation reviews the first confirmed case of Powassan neuroinvasive disease in the nearby state of Rhode Island. The case study provides evidence for the increasing spread of Powassan neuroinvasive disease and reinforces the importance of requesting focused testing for Powassan Virus in patients from an endemic area with a clinically compatible syndrome.