Tick-borne Wetland virus, newly discovered in China, could cause damage to brain, researchers say

Scientists are warning of a new tick-borne disease called Wetland virus (WELV) that was recently discovered in China.

A member of the orthonairovirus genus of viruses, WELV previously infected a man in Inner Mongolia, China, in 2019, but it was not identified until this new study, which was published in the New England Journal of Medicine last week.

The 61-year-old man, who was bitten by a tick at a wetland park, sought medical attention for "persistent fever and multiple organ dysfunction," according to the study.

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A team of researchers from the Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology isolated the virus from that patient and later identified it as WELV.

Using laboratory testing, the team went on to detect the virus in 17 other patients in China whose symptoms included fever, headache, dizziness, muscle pain, fatigue, back pain, arthritis, swollen lymph nodes and neurologic issues, the study findings noted.

Some also had petechiae, which are spots on the skin caused by bleeding from capillaries.

Eight of the patients who had recovered were found to have four times as many WELV-specific antibodies than those who had not yet recovered, the researchers found.

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After receiving antiviral medications, antibiotics or immunoglobulin therapy, all the patients recovered without any long-term health effects.

The Wetland virus is similar to the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, a virus that causes fever, headache, muscle pains, vomiting, diarrhea, bleeding into the skin and liver failure in severe cases, according to the study findings.

The RNA of the virus was found in five different tick species, along with sheep, horses, pigs and rodents in northeastern China. 

When injected into mice and hamsters, the virus was shown to cause brain damage and death. 

Diagnosing the Wetland virus could prove to be a challenge because its symptoms usually match that of a "non-specific illness," the researchers noted.

"Improving surveillance and detection for emerging orthonairoviruses will allow a better understanding of the effect that these viruses have on human health," they wrote.

Doctors react to viral discovery

Dr. Marc Siegel, senior medical analyst for Fox News and clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center, said the findings spotlight the wide range of viruses that a tick or other "insect vector" can transmit.

"This can cause hemorrhagic fever and can be quite deadly," Siegel, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital. "It’s worth keeping an eye on but is very rare."

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Dr. Edward Liu, chief of infectious diseases at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center, noted that tick-borne diseases typically don't spread quickly.

"They slowly expand their territory as ticks shift their environments but are nothing like respiratory viruses, which transmit much more easily and literally can spread from continent to continent in one day," he told Fox News Digital.

Viruses or bacteria that live in ticks are specific to certain species, Liu noted, "so those viruses don't automatically transfer to ticks in the U.S."

"I am not worried about a COVID-19-type pandemic," he added.

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He did, however, echo Siegel’s warning of potentially fatal ramifications, as the Wetland disease causes hemorrhagic fever, which can be deadly. 

"Elderly people and immunocompromised patients are at the greatest risk," Liu said.

Preventing tick bites

The best means of prevention against tick-borne diseases is to protect against bites, experts say.

It’s important to identify and avoid areas where ticks may live, including wooded, grassy or brushy areas, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). They can also live on animals.

The CDC recommends treating all clothing and gear with products containing 0.5% permethrin, which helps to repel ticks.

People can also apply an EPA-registered insect repellent, such as those containing DEET.

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After coming inside after spending time outdoors, the CDC recommends checking all clothing, gear and pets for ticks. It is best to shower within a couple of hours.

The agency also suggests doing a full body check.

Clothing can be dried at high heat for 10 minutes — or washed with hot water — to kill any ticks.

Anyone who experiences symptoms of illness after a tick bite should contact a medical provider.

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The study at Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences.

Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for comment.