Tick season is here in Massachusetts and there is much to be aware of. Usually a mild winter will predict a bad tick season. It wasn't particularly warm this winter in New England, quite the opposite actually, so we'll see what happens.

When the warmth of spring arrives, so do ticks that thrive in woodlands, taller grass, and backyards in the more suburban area of Massachusetts. The Berkshires, Cape Cod and the North Shore are the primary hot spots for tick activity.

You can get at tick bite doing regular outdoor activity. Dog walking, hiking, raking, so wear light colored clothing and/or tuck your pants into your socks to prevent bites.

Alert: Tick Virus In Mass. Can Cause Brain Swelling

Powassan Virus

I live in the middle of the woods in The Berkshires with five kids, so this time of year I to prepare for nightly tick checks.

The tick-borne illness caused by Powassan Virus is primarily caused by the black-legged tick, which is responsible for Lyme disease as well.

Spring time when the nymph sized ticks emerge, however, can be tough because they are so hard to see.

Powassan virus, named after the Ontario town where it was first identified in 1958, has two lineages in the U.S., but the deer tick-associated lineage dominates in the Northeast, including Massachusetts.

Infections with can by asymptomatic or present themselves with severe effects