Tag: ticks

At least 18 have died from spreading Tick-borne virus that causes ‘nose-bleed fever’

Ricky Scaparo – June 1, 2022

“Nose-bleed fever” is as gruesome as it sounds. More technically called Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, the tick-borne virus has been detected in some 120 people in Iraq since January — including 18 who have died from the disease — health officials have warned, fearing an escalating spread.

The onset of illness causes rapid and severe internal and external bleeding in infected patients, including through the nose, hence its nickname “nose-bleed fever.” Though the virus is hosted in ticks, most individuals pick it up by coming in contact with infected animal blood — usually occurring among those who work with livestock and in slaughterhouses.

The virus is not novel, but it is rare — and apparently spreading at an unprecedented rate throughout Iraq. Between 10 and 40 percent of cases will die from the disease. Aside from profuse bleeding and potential death, early symptoms include fever, body aches, dizziness, neck pain, headache, and sore eyes. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sore throat, and brain fog have also been observed in infected patients, according to the World Health Organization.

The virus also called Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, has been known to cause severe symptoms in patients. In some cases, sufferers have reportedly encountered internal and external hemorrhaging, resulting in blood loss. Iraqi officials say that almost one-third of all deaths, thought to be around 18, have come in the last two weeks, sparking fears of an uncontainable outbreak.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) patients become infected with the virus following contact with the blood of infected animals, including ticks. The virus is not novel, but it is rare and apparently spreading at an unprecedented rate throughout Iraq.

https://endtimeheadlines.org

Lone star tick, linked to Heartland virus, has now spread to 6 states in the US

Ricky Scaparo – March 17, 2022

Ticks carrying a mysterious and rare virus that can sicken or even kill older adults or people with underlying conditions have been found in at least six states, a new study reported Wednesday.

Test samples revealed that lone star ticks in Georgia had picked up the Heartland virus, Emory University researchers reported in Emerging Infectious Diseases, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention publication.

“We want to bring awareness rather than panic,” said Gonzalo M. Vazquez-Prokopec, a co-author of the study and an associate professor of environmental sciences at Emory. “People tend to go out more in the spring and they might get exposed to ticks, which are increasing rapidly, particularly in the South, this time of year.”

Not much is yet known about the Heartland virus, which when transmitted to a person by a tick bite can cause fever, fatigue, decreased appetite, headache, nausea, diarrhea, and muscle or joint pain. It’s unclear if other ticks can also spread the virus or if people can be infected in other ways, the CDC said.

As of January 2021, just 50 cases of the disease caused by the virus have been reported, according to the CDC. In severe cases, patients have ended up in the hospital and while most have fully recovered with supportive care, a few older individuals with medical conditions have died, the CDC reported.

Some people infected with the virus have been diagnosed with lower than normal white blood cell counts and lower than normal counts of platelets, which aid in blood clotting. Liver function tests can show increased levels of liver enzymes, which can indicate illness.

The Heartland virus was discovered in 2009 in northwest Missouri after two men were hospitalized with symptoms including high fevers, diarrhea, and muscle pains. The virus has been reported in lone star ticks from Missouri, Alabama, Illinois, Kansas, and New York, although it’s unknown if the virus has spread to other areas of the U.S., according to the CDC.

https://endtimeheadlines.org