Like most tick diseases, a Heartland virus infection begins with flulike symptoms like chills, a headache, diarrhea, and high fever. Symptoms typically develop within 2 weeks after the bite. Patients also present with low numbers of white blood cells and platelets. Sadly, there is no treatment for the disease, but hospitalization is necessary to reduce the risk of serious complications and death.
Compared to other tick diseases like Lyme disease or Babesiosis, very little is known about the Heartland virus, which is why medical researchers are collecting ticks and trying to learn more about this illness.
A 2022 study published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases reports that the Heartland virus has recently spread across several states in the Midwest and Southeast of the US. The joint research project from Emory University and the University of Georgia collected and tested 10,000 ticks in Georgia and detected the dangerous virus in 1 of every 2,000 tick specimens.
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