A new deadly virus has been discovered from a man in China, who was recently diagnosed with the condition.
The disease, named wetland virus (WELV), was supposedly picked up by a tick when the man visited Mongolia. It is said to cause brain infections which can kill the holders.
Symptoms from the tick bite, which he picked up in a park, included a headache, vomiting, poor appetite, fever and inflamed lymph nodes. They took around five days to form after the bite and the doctors prescribed him antibiotics.
After a few days, the man’s symptoms did not die down and doctors realised that the man was suffering a viral infection rather than a bacterial one. After blood tests, orthonairovirus was discovered. They’re a group of viruses which are usually transmitted via ticks.
One of the viruses named Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF), proves fatal in around 40%of cases. Infections usually occur after contact with blood or tissue of livestock who are infected.
Humans can also pass on the infection through body fluids. It has also been known to pass through hospital equipment that has not been properly sterilised.
Researchers decided to collect ticks across northern China to experiment where the infection could be found. Of around 14,600 ticks, five different species carried the virus.
Patients in hospitals with similar symptoms were tested and found that 20 of them were positive with the virus. Further tests showed that the effects were more deadly than first anticipated.
Tissue damage and blood clotting were some of the potential issues from the virus. One patient even slipped into a coma, with high levels of white blood cells around the brain and spine.
Infections were the most common symptom, particularly of the brain and nervous system. The infections can affect other organs, and are also considered deadly.
Doctors were delighted to find that treatment and early detection was successful. In healthy patients, the virus could be mild.
However, in vulnerable patients, the infection could provide long term health problems or even death.
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