The US military’s public health surveillance network has identified rare tick-borne viruses on or near several military installations.
The US military’s public health surveillance network has identified rare tick-borne viruses on or near several military installations, highlighting emerging health risks for service members.
Through the Defense Health Agency’s MilTICK SURE Path program, officials detected ticks carrying the Powassan virus in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and, for the first time, Maryland.
The surveillance effort also confirmed the first Heartland virus-positive tick at Fort Knox, Kentucky.
While human infections remain uncommon, both pathogens can cause severe illness.
The Powassan virus, transmitted by blacklegged ticks which are also linked to Lyme disease, can cause severe neurological complications, including encephalitis, with fatal outcomes reported in some cases and long-term health effects among survivors.
Heartland virus, spread by lone star ticks, can trigger fever, fatigue, low platelet counts, and other complications that may require hospitalization.
Tracking Emerging Threats
The findings come from a Department of Defense surveillance effort that analyzes ticks submitted by service members, their families, civilian staff, and contractors to identify emerging pathogens before confirmed human cases appear.
Officials said the findings can give local doctors an earlier warning of rare infections and help military installations adjust preventive measures for areas where personnel spend long periods outdoors.
The surveillance effort also monitors other evolving threats, including babesiosis, a malaria-like parasitic infection that requires different treatment than bacterial tick-borne illnesses such as Lyme disease.
Researchers are also assessing whether the invasive Asian longhorned tick could serve as an additional vector for certain pathogens.
