Bourbon virus confirmed in New York amid growing underdiagnosis concerns

Key Points:

• The Bourbon virus, a tick-borne illness with no vaccine or specific treatment, has been confirmed for the first time in New York, raising concerns about undiagnosed cases in the region.
• Transmitted by the lone star tick, the virus causes symptoms such as fever, fatigue, rash, headache, body aches, and nausea, but diagnosis is difficult due to lack of commercial tests and limited awareness among healthcare providers.
• Since its discovery in 2014 in Kansas, only six human cases have been reported, including two deaths, but researchers believe many infections have gone undetected because symptoms overlap with other tick-borne diseases.
• Stony Brook Medicine researchers emphasize the need for expanded surveillance and improved diagnostic testing to better understand and track the virus's spread, especially given the dense population of lone star ticks in New York and the Northeast.
• To prevent tick bites, experts recommend wearing protective clothing, using insect repellent on gear, avoiding tall grass, and promptly removing ticks, while seeking medical attention if flu-like symptoms develop after a tick bite.