ATLANTA — Georgia State University researchers are warning about Powassan virus, a rare disease that can cause severe neurological illness and can spread to humans shortly after a tick bite.

The Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health says most cases in the United States occur in the Northeast and Great Lakes regions during the warmer months, when ticks are most active.

Powassan virus can be spread by blacklegged, or deer, ticks, which also transmit Lyme disease. Groundhog ticks and squirrel ticks can also spread the virus.

Researchers at Georgia State are studying how the immune system responds to the virus and how it affects the brain.

“Our goal is to build the scientific foundation needed to better understand this emerging virus and ultimately identify new ways to prevent or treat the severe neurological disease it can cause,” said Mukesh Kumar, an associate professor in the Department of Biology at Georgia State.

The CDC says early symptoms can include fever, headache, vomiting and weakness.

Severe cases can cause encephalitis or meningitis, along with confusion, loss of coordination, difficulty speaking and seizures, CDC officials add.

Kumar said the research could help scientists identify people most vulnerable to severe illness and eventually lead to better testing, vaccines and treatments.

WSB Radio’s Veronica Waters contributed to this story.