Newborn Left with Brain Damage After Rare Virus Infection

A one-month-old baby has suffered brain damage after contracting a rare virus during a family walk in Martha’s Vineyard.

Lily Belle Sisco was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital on July 24, experiencing a high fever of 102 degrees. Shortly after admission, she began having seizures and was diagnosed with viral encephalitis.

The family discovered over the weekend that Lily’s illness stemmed from a tick bite. She had contracted Powassan virus, which, while rare, is quite serious.

According to the baby’s family, she has sustained brain damage from the infection but is currently stable and receiving medical care in Boston.

Tiffany and Marcus Sisco expressed their disbelief that a brief walk in their neighborhood could lead to such a severe illness for their newborn. They reflected in a Facebook post, “We never imagined that a 20-minute stroll on the West Tisbury bike path, something we do almost daily, could endanger our child’s life.”

The Siscos reside in a $1.3 million home in West Tisbury, based on public disclosures.

They urged others to be vigilant, saying, “Please check yourselves, your kids, and pets. The tick was tiny, like the size of a needle tip.”

According to their family business’s Facebook page, Sisco Family Services, they provide fence and gate contracting services in the West Tisbury area.

Lily’s aunt, Ashlee Moreis, has set up a GoFundMe campaign to help the family financially. “Although she has an excellent medical team in Boston, her parents haven’t left her side,” she shared.

In the meantime, Lily’s older sister Rose is being looked after by family on the Vineyard while their parents stay with their newborn.

According to the GoFundMe, “Marcus supports the family and has been at Lily’s side throughout this ordeal.”

The fundraising effort has amassed over $27,000 thus far.

The Sisco family reported that Lily is the youngest person worldwide to contract Powassan virus. They hope to share their experience to prevent future incidents like their daughter’s.

Powassan is a rare but significant virus transmitted through tick bites, and its incidences have increased recently. Unfortunately, this year marks one of the worst tick seasons in New England.

The disease can be transmitted within just 15 minutes of a tick bite, with early symptoms including fever, headache, and vomiting.

More severe cases may result in brain swelling, seizures, and long-lasting neurological issues.

Interestingly, only one case of Powassan had been recorded on Martha’s Vineyard in the last 20 years until Lily’s situation. Massachusetts has seen three confirmed cases this year alone.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that most of these cases occur in the Northeast and Great Lakes region during late spring through mid-fall.

The disease is borne by both nymph and adult deer ticks.

As Dr. Sam Telford from Tufts University notes, “The virus is always present in a small percentage of deer ticks each year, and thankfully, severe cases remain quite rare.” His lab tested more than 3,500 nymph deer ticks from 2021 to 2024, finding that one to two percent were infected.