Bourbon virus found in New York tick prompts health warning

Scientists at Stony Brook Medicine reported the first detection of Bourbon virus in a lone‑star tick collected in New York state. The virus, an RNA pathogen first identified in Kansas in 2014, can cause fever, fatigue, vomiting, rash and body aches, and has caused three documented deaths in the United States (Missouri, Kansas and a recent case). Researchers said the illness may be under‑diagnosed because its symptoms resemble other tickborne infections and because few clinicians are familiar with it.

Dr. Luis Marcos, director of the Tick‑borne Disease Clinic, warned, “There are a lot of lone star ticks in New York and in the Northeast… the Bourbon virus is likely more prevalent than we think in our region.” With lone‑star ticks expanding northward due to warmer climate, the team cautioned that additional cases could appear. They called for expanded surveillance, development of clinical testing and increased public awareness, noting that no vaccine or specific treatment exists.