Scientists are still baffled by a new disease caused by ticks that killed a man a little over 2 years ago.
3 years ago, a farmer in Kansas came to the hospital with severe symptoms of a disease that was spreading very quickly. The man had been bitten by a tick but the hospital staff have never seen symptoms like this. The farmer tragically died 10 days later after the disease attacked his lungs and kidneys.
Today there are only 2 confirmed cases of what they are calling the Bourbon virus, named after the county the farmer was from. Symptoms of the virus include, fever, fatigue, rash and nausea. Although, the disease can’t be identified by just these symptoms because this could be from an array of different things.
From Viral Liberty:
In some ways it was similar to the Bakten thogotovirus which is endemic to Asia, but was distinct in several important ways that meant doctors couldn’t treat it…
Doctors thought perhaps the Bourbon virus was a one-time evolutionary fluke, but a year later another person who had been bitten by a tick in nearby Stillwater, Oklahoma contracted it. Thankfully though, this patient made a full recovery.
At this time doctors still don’t fully understand the unique virus, and there’s no specific vaccine to prevent it or treatment to cure it. The best advice researchers have regarding it is simply to avoid tick bites.
Be sure to stay out of grassy wooded areas and check yourself regularly if you’re outside a lot. Wear clothes that will protect your skin and spray tick repellent around your yard to protect yourself and children.
Who knows what kind of diseases are brought into the country when people are pouring in unchecked. Even Ellis Island checked to make sure the immigrants weren’t sick or they were sent back!
