Young Connecticut man recovering after severe Powassan infection

A Connecticut family is speaking out after their 20‑year‑old son was suddenly struck by Powassan virus.
It’s a rare and dangerous tick‑borne illness that can cause severe neurological complications.
It all started when he was walking his dog and noticed a tick on himself when he got home. He removed the tick and looked for a rash. “There was nothing like that,” he said.
Two weeks later, what started as a high fever turned into an inability to walk and talk.
Learn more of his story in this report from NBC Connecticut.

Dorothy Leland
Dorothy Leland is a longtime advocate and researcher focused on Lyme disease education, policy awareness, and patient support. She has contributed to numerous publications and works closely with medical professionals and organizations to improve understanding and treatment of tick-borne diseases.
Do You Have Lyme Disease?
Use our symptom checklist to better understand possible Lyme disease signs and next steps.
Newsletter Sign-up
Helpful Resources
Support LymeDisease.org
Your support helps us advocate for patients and fund critical Lyme disease research.






