First Northeast US case of Bourbon virus confirmed in New York

Researchers at Stony Brook Medicine have confirmed the first case of the rare Bourbon virus in the Northeast, diagnosing a Long Island patient after severe symptoms were misattributed to Lyme disease. The virus, spread by lone‑star ticks, has no specific treatment or vaccine, prompting health officials to warn that it may be more prevalent than reported.

A separate genetic study published in PNAS Nexus examined the Asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis), highlighting its global spread from East Asia to Oceania and the United States. The research links the tick’s ability to reproduce without males (parthenogenesis) to its rapid expansion and its role in transmitting pathogens such as SFTS virus, Rickettsia and Theileria, raising further concerns about emerging tick‑borne health threats.