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New Tests for Detecting Powassan Virus
Labroots, Carmen Leach, 04.01.24, reports on “A Better Way to ID Powassan Virus, an Emerging Tick-Borne Disease.” Leach reported that researchers developed a better PCR-based test that can detect and measure the level of virus for Powassan virus and Powassan virus lineage II (deer tick virus) in deer ticks (Ixodes scapularis).
Researchers improved on current tests by providing the same ability to identify the virus with significantly more reliability than current tests in reducing the number of false negatives test results. This new PCR test utilizes a triplex method which amplifies the DNA of ticks to better detect if virus RNA is present in the sample. This test is described in the publication by Xu, G. et al.
Though cases of Powassan are still rare, Powassan virus causes severe disease and case numbers are increasing. Approximately 10% of people infected with Powassan die, and approximately half of the people infected develop long-term neurological problems from infection of the brain or spinal cord. Nearly 300 confirmed cases were reported in 2022 in the United States, in contrast to only a single case report between 2004-2006. Researchers hope that the new test will be used to identify areas that pose a high risk for contracting the disease.
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