The Bourbon virus has reached New York. There is no vaccine, no test, and the ticks are already here.
For the first time in the history of the state, a case of human infection with the rare Bourbon virus has been officially confirmed. The infection is transmitted through a tick bite (primarily the lone star tick, often referred to as the "dog tick"). There is no specific vaccine for it. There is also no specific treatment. Moreover, there is not even a standard commercial test that can be quickly performed in a regular laboratory.
The symptoms look deceptively familiar: high fever, severe weakness, rash, headache, nausea, muscle and joint aches. That is why the virus is easily mistaken for Lyme disease or another tick-borne infection. This means that some cases are likely simply going undiagnosed.
The Bourbon virus was first discovered in 2014 in Kansas. Over the years, confirmed cases have been few, but at least two of them were fatal. Now it has officially "settled" in the northeastern United States as well. This is an important signal: the range of tick-borne viruses is expanding, and we must be prepared for that.
For now, the best protection is the simplest: protection against tick bites, checking your body after spending time outdoors, and seeking medical attention promptly if symptoms appear after a bite. These signals cannot be ignored.
