A new disease transmitted by ticks. In the US, the Heartland virus has already killed several people
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No one needs to be reminded that ticks can be a lethal threat. Arachnids that parasitize humans and animals transmit a number of dangerous diseases, including Lyme disease. Another one is added to the list of dangers associated with ticks: the Heartland virus. The disease it causes has already resulted in the death of several people in the United States.

  1. Symptoms of Heartland virus infection include fever, fatigue, lack of appetite, headache, and vomiting
  2. According to the CDC, many of those infected with the virus require hospitalization
  3. Human infections with the virus are rare in humans, but scientists believe these numbers are underestimated
  4. More information can be found on the Onet homepage

Heartland virus. Another dangerous pathogen transmitted by ticks

The season for ticks has already started in Poland, which is clearly the wrong answer. Arachnids, which feed on the blood of animals and humans, carry many diseases that are dangerous to health and life. The list of dangers associated with ticks is constantly expanding. Another pathogen scientists fear is the Heartland virus.

Heartland virus was first identified in Missouri in 2009. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), by January 2021, more than 50 cases of the disease caused by this pathogen were confirmed. The virus has also spread to other states over the years, with new cases recently detected in Georgia. At the moment, the presence of the Heartland virus has not been found in Poland and Europe, but it does not mean that it is not lurking nearby. The problem is the low virus reproduction rate among ticks, which makes the pathogen difficult to detect. Scientists at Emory University dealing with his study analyzed samples collected from nearly 10. ticks. The virus was isolated in 1 in 2 thousand. individuals.

The rest of the article is available under the video.

«We are trying to stay ahead of the virus»

After identifying the virus in 2005 in Georgia, researchers conducted a study the results of which were published by the CDC on March 16. Adult ticks and nymphs were sampled between 2018 and 2019 from three different US counties (Baldwin, Jones and Putnam).

– Heartland is an infectious disease that we still don’t understand well. We are trying to stay ahead of the virus by learning everything we can about it before it potentially becomes a bigger problem, Prof. Gonzalo Vazquez-Prokopec, lead author of the study.

Analysis of the samples showed that the viral genomes were similar to each other, but different from those collected from ticks in other states. According to the researchers, this could mean that the virus is rapidly evolving in different geographic locations.

Although human cases are rare, scientists indicate that we may be dealing with an underestimation here. Primarily because testing for Heartland virus is rarely ordered. Documented cases mainly concerned people with comorbidities who developed a severe course of infection with the Heartland virus. The actual scale of infections in the population is therefore unknown.

– We assume that there is a huge number of people who may have come into contact with the virus, but have not experienced very serious symptoms – said Prof. Vazquez-Prokopec.

  1. See also: A small infiltrate appears at the site of the tick bite? Don’t ignore him

Heartland virus infection symptoms

Virus infection occurs through contact with the secretions of ticks that are carriers of the pathogen. So far, its presence has been demonstrated in only one species of arachnid: Amblyomma americanum (z ang. Lone star tick).

Symptoms of Heartland virus infection include:

  1. fever
  2. fatigue
  3. lack of appetite
  4. headache
  5. nausea
  6. diarrhea
  7. muscle pain
  8. arthralgia

Symptoms that can only be detected with a blood test include:

  1. reduced number of white blood cells (leukocytes)
  2. reduced number of platelets (thrombocytes)
  3. elevated liver enzymes

If a tick does enter the skin, remove it as soon as possible. That’s why it’s a good idea to have a tick removal kit with tweezers, cotton balls and plasters at home.

We encourage you to listen to the latest episode of the RESET podcast. This time we are talking about the war in Ukraine and the drama of our eastern neighbors. We help as much as we can, but we ourselves are full of fears. Is it possible to get rid of them? How to help, but also how to take care of yourself? You will hear about this and many others below.

Also read:

  1. Tick ​​erythema and Lyme disease. Diagnosis, diagnosis, treatment
  2. We debunk five popular myths about ticks
  3. The doctor appeals: we do not come to the HED with this
  4. The best repellent for ticks. They won’t come near you

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