New pathogen is transmitted by ticks

New dangerous virus is transmitted by tick bite

23/07/2013

Ticks can transmit Lyme disease, TBE and other diseases. American scientists recently discovered a new dangerous virus transmitted by the little bloodsuckers. The so-called Heartland virus (HRTV) caused two farmers from the US state of Missouri, among other symptoms such as fever, fatigue, headache and diarrhea.

New pathogen persists for years in ticks populations
Until now, tick bites have been associated with infectious diseases such as Lyme disease or tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), which can cause severe disease progression. Two farmers in the US state of Missouri discovered a new dangerous pathogen in 2009, which is transmitted by ticks. The so-called Heartland Virus (HRTV) triggered symptoms such as fatigue, headache, fever, diarrhea and a lack of white blood cells and platelets in the two men living 100 km apart. The farmers were treated in hospitals where the US Department of Health discovered the previously unknown HRTV virus during analysis. Over the past year it has been in the „New England Journal of Medicine "reports.

Now, US scientists have found the causative agent in studies in their study in other ticks in the region. Their results were published in the journal „American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

„This is pretty strong evidence that the virus has been in ticks populations for years, and that these ticks play an important role in the transmission of the disease, "says Harry Savage of the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ) in Fort Collins, Colorado, in the journal.

Ticks transmit dangerous new pathogens in Missouri
The researchers discovered the new virus in ten out of a total of 2,100 samples from more than 56,000 ticks collected in Missouri. Nine specimens came from the grounds of one of the two sick farmers. The pathogen was previously found only in northwest Missouri.

„This is the first study in which HRTV has been isolating arthropods collected in the field, including ticks as potential transmitters. The ticks species Amblyomma americanum are believed to be infected by being fed by infected hosts in the larval stage. The transmission to humans takes place in spring and early summer, when the larvae are abundant and actively looking for hosts“, the researchers write.

Recently, another pathogen related to the Heartland virus has been discovered in ticks in China. This is the highly dangerous SFTSV (severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus). (Ag)

Also read about ticks:
Protection against ticks while staying in the countryside
Healthy nettles are not weeds
Doctors: carefully remove ticks with tweezers
TBE and Lyme disease by tick bites
Prevention: Do not panic with ticks
Health: No vaccination against ticks

Picture credits: T. Hoffmann