Chinese scientists have discovered a new dangerous virus carried by ticks
A new virus transmitted through tick bites has been identified in China. The infection can cause severe fatigue, digestive problems, and a drop in platelet count.
Chinese scientists have been trying to determine why 30% of patients with symptoms of Dabie bandavirus infection tested negative for the virus.
Dabie bandavirus causes severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS)—a disease with a mortality rate ranging from 10 to 30 percent.
The scientists tested samples from patients who had been bitten by ticks at hospitals in several regions of China. Of the 3,163 patients tested, 10.4% were found to carry a previously unknown virus. It was named ALTNV.
Infectious disease specialist and public health expert Tyler Evans emphasizes that this is not just a mild infection —the virus can cause severe fatigue, stomach problems, and a dangerous drop in platelet count, which can lead to poor blood clotting.
Most people recover on their own, but the real danger arises when the infection occurs simultaneously with another tick-borne virus.
Patients infected with ALTNV alone most commonly reported fatigue, gastrointestinal problems, thrombocytopenia (low platelet count), and elevated liver enzymes, which indicate inflammation or tissue damage. These patients made a full recovery.
However, when patients were co-infected with ALTNV and the Dabie bandavirus, the picture changed. Such patients had higher rates of respiratory symptoms, as well as impaired kidney function. Of the 38 co-infected patients identified, seven died—meaning the mortality rate was 18.4%.
ALTNV was detected in 1.3% of nearly 47,500 ticks collected in 15 Chinese provinces. It was most commonly found in the species Haemaphysalis longicornis, also known as the Asian longhorned tick. Laboratory tests confirmed that this species can transmit the virus to mice. This tick species is also capable of asexual reproduction.
Source: Newsweek
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