Lone Star Tick - Credit CDC MMWR
# 8671
In August of 2012, in a New Phlebovirus Discovered In Missouri, I wrote about the CDC’s announcement of a new tick-borne virus phlebovirus detected in two Missouri farmers with no epidemiological links and living 60 miles apart.
Dubbed `The Heartland Virus’ (HLV), the virus was named after the Heartland Regional Medical Center in St. Joseph, Mo which alerted the CDC back in 2009 about these cases.
Phleboviruses are part of the large family Bunyaviridae - which includes such infamous pathogens as Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever and Rift Valley Fever. Bunyaviruses - are mostly spread via arthropod vectors (ticks, mosquitoes & sand flies).
This newly described `Heartland virus’ is genetically similar to another tickborne disease identified in China in 2011 called the SFTS virus (see EID Journal dispatch Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus, Shandong Province, China Jun 2012). Since then, SFTS-like viruses have been found in ticks in Japan, Korea, and Australia.
Last March (see MMWR: Heartland Virus Disease — United States, 2012–2013) we saw an update from the CDC indicating that 6 more cases had been identified (5 in Missouri, 1 in Tennessee). This from CDC’s emailed press release:
CDC studies to date have shown Heartland virus is carried by Lone Star ticks, which are primarily found in the southeastern and eastern United States. Additional studies seek to confirm whether ticks can spread the virus to people and to learn what other insects or animals may be involved in the transmission cycle. CDC is also looking for Heartland virus in other parts of the country to understand how widely it may be distributed.
Today, via the Oklahoma State Health Department we learn that the number of cases has grown to 10, and that Oklahoma is reporting its first Heartland virus related fatality.
For Release: May 27, 2014 – Pamela Williams, Office of Communications – 405-271-5601
Oklahoma State Health Department Confirms First Case and Death of Heartland Virus
The Oklahoma State Department of Health has confirmed the state's first case and death of Heartland virus. A Delaware County resident died recently from complications of the virus. The virus is found in the Lone Star tick (Amblyomma americanum), and is likely spread through tick bites.
Heartland virus was first identified in Missouri in 2009. The Oklahoma case is only the tenth person confirmed with the virus and the second person to die from it. Other cases have occurred in Missouri and Tennessee. All of the patients diagnosed with Heartland virus reported spending several hours per day in outside activities or occupations.
Symptoms can include fever, fatigue, headaches, muscle aches, loss of appetite, nausea, bruising easily and diarrhea. There is no routine testing available for Heartland virus. However, protocols are in place for investigational diagnostic testing. Healthcare providers can contact the Oklahoma State Department of Health's Acute Disease Service at (405) 271-4060 for consultation regarding protocol enrollment for patients who have acute illnesses compatible with Heartland virus infection.
There is no vaccine or drug to prevent or treat the disease. Preventing bites from ticks and mosquitoes may prevent this and other infections. The Oklahoma State Department of Health recommends the following:
--Use insect repellents, following package instructions.
--Wear long sleeves and pants when outdoors so that ticks are easily seen and removed.
--Avoid bushy and wooded areas where ticks can be transferred onto you.
--Perform thorough tick checks soon and daily after spending time outdoors.
For more information on reducing exposure to ticks, visit:
The CDC’s Heartland Virus FAQ (updated March 26th), provides the following advice regarding HLV.
How can people reduce the chance of getting infected with Heartland virus?
There is no vaccine or drug to prevent or treat the disease. Preventing bites from ticks and mosquitoes may prevent this and other infections.
- Use insect repellents
- Wear long sleeves and pants
- Avoid bushy and wooded areas
- Perform thorough tick checks after spending time outdoors
Additional information on reducing exposure to ticks is available on the CDC Ticks website.
For more on this virus, and SFTS-like viruses in North America, you may wish to revisit: EID Journal: Novel Bunyavirus In Livestock - Minnesota
