Experts warn tick-borne virus worse than Lyme disease is on the rise stat : AOL

The Powassan virus (POW) is a rare but serious disease that can be spread to humans by infected ticks quickly after the initial bite. Once a human has contracted the disease, POW can cause severe inflammation of the brain and the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. Before you go, we thought you'd like these...As the warm summer months draw dangerously near, experts have started warning the public about a tick-borne virus on the rise that can have much deadlier consequences than Lyme disease. Due to the severe neurological impact of the disease, about 10 percent of all POW cases are fatal, with about 50 percent of cases resulting in permanent brain damage. For comparison, while it takes a tick carrying Lyme disease nearly 24 hours to pass the infection on to a human host, a tick with POW can transfer the virus in as little as 15 minutes.




You can find more information on the multitude of Lyme disease symptoms on the Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation website. READ MORE: Shania Twain exhibit to open at Nashville Country Music Hall Of FameTwain joins a long list of celebrities who have struggled with Lyme disease. Canadian songstress Shania Twain recently revealed that the cause of her temporary vocal struggle was linked to Lyme disease, an infection caused by a bacteria spread through ticks. Canadian singer Avril Lavigne contracted Lyme disease from a tick bite in spring 2014, and was bedridden for five months. Lyme disease is a bacteria that's transmitted through the bites of infected deer ticks, which can be about the size of poppy seeds.


Shania Twain says she lost her voice due to Lyme diseaseOver the past few years, Shania Twain has opened up to fans about her struggle with dysphonia, a medical condition that left her unable to sing. Shania recently revealed that the condition was actually linked to Lyme disease. Back in 2011, the Canadian songstress cited stress as the cause of her vocal struggle, but it turns out that wasn't the case. She gave fans a sneak peek of her new sound during her headlining set at this year's Stagecoach Festival, where she debuted her new single "Life's About To Get Good."Shania joins a long list of famous faces who have struggled with Lyme disease. Supermodel Bella Hadid and her mother Yolanda Foster have also experienced the debilitating nature of the disease and used social media to document their journey.