Health authorities are warning about the presence of a mysterious virus that was detected in ticks and which can sicken or even kill older adults or people with underlying conditions.
The Heartland virus has already been detected in at least six states in the United States and a type of tick known as “lone star” would be the main carrier, according to researchers. from Emory Universitya publication of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“We want to raise awareness rather than panic,” said Gonzalo M. Vazquez-Prokopec, a co-author of the study and an associate professor of environmental sciences at Emory. “People tend to go outside more in the spring and could be exposed to ticks, which are increasing rapidly, particularly in the South, at this time of year.”
Not much is yet known about the Heartland virus, which when transmitted to a person by a tick bite can cause fever, fatigue, decreased appetite, headache, nausea, diarrhea, and muscle or joint pain.
It’s not clear if other ticks can also spread the virus or if people can be infected in other ways, the CDC said.
As of January 2021, only 50 cases of the illness caused by the virus have been reported, according to data from the CDC.
In severe cases, patients ended up in the hospital, and while most made a full recovery with supportive care, some older people with medical conditions have died, the CDC reported.
WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THIS STRANGE VIRUS
Some people infected with the virus have been diagnosed with a decrease in white blood cells and platelets, which help in blood clotting.
“Heartland is an emerging infectious disease that is not well understood,” Vazquez-Prokopec said. “We’re trying to get ahead of this virus by learning as much as we can about it before it potentially becomes a bigger problem.”
The lone star tick, named for a distinctive white spot on its back, is the most common tick in Georgia and is widely distributed in wooded areas of the southeastern, eastern, and midwestern US. They are tiny, about the size of a sesame seed in the nymphal stage, and barely a quarter of an inch in diameter when fully grown.
“Lone star ticks are so small that you may not feel them on you or even realize if you’ve been bitten by one,” said Steph Bellman, co-author of the Emory study.
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