How can people protect themselves from POW virus and other tick-borne infections?
Repellents are important tools in preventing tick-borne illness. They are especially important in preventing POW disease because of its severity and possibly shorter transmission time. When spending time in wooded or brushy habitat in north central, east-central, and southeast Minnesota, people should protect themselves against tick bites by wearing repellents containing DEET or permethrin. Other precautions include wearing long pants and light-colored clothing, staying away from the brush and woods, and doing thorough tick checks after spending time in the woods. These precautions are most important from late spring until mid-summer, and again in the fall months, when blacklegged ticks are active. People should seek medical care if they develop fever, chills, rash, headache, body aches altered mental status, or other signs and symptoms of tick-borne illness after doing outdoor activities in these areas.
