‘Improving surveillance … will allow a better understanding’

[Pelican Press 0]

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‘Improving surveillance … will allow a better understanding’

Tick-borne viruses are becoming an increasingly common problem because of rising temperatures and changing climates that are creating ideal environments for the arachnids to thrive, and scientists have raised the alarm on a new ********.

What’s happening?

As explained by

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, scientists published their findings in

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, revealing that the wetland virus, or WELV, was discovered in China and can sometimes cause a neurological ******** when spread to humans.

The report

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that the ******** was first detected in June 2019 in a hospital patient who was treated in Jinzhou. The 61-year-old was experiencing a fever, headache, and vomiting approximately five days after visiting a park in a large wetland in Inner Mongolia, where he was bitten by ticks. The man’s symptoms weren’t eased by antibiotics, indicating that his infection wasn’t bacterial.

The scientists then tested for WELV in “hundreds of patients” who had developed fevers within one month of a known tick *****, per the publication, and 20 of them returned positive results; three were simultaneously infected with other tick-borne *********.

Those infected with WELV experienced common symptoms such as “fever, dizziness, headache, malaise and back pain, as well as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea,” the publication further detailed, and the lab results of many of the patients showed signs of tissue damage and blood clotting.

One patient notably fell into a coma after exhibiting a high concentration of white blood cells in the fluid surrounding their brain and spinal cord. When the researchers injected the virus into lab mice, they found that it could cause deadly infections that reach many organs, including the brain, supporting the theory that WELV can lead to serious infections of the nervous system.

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The researchers

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that with treatment, “all the patients recovered and were discharged after 4 to 15 days.”

Why is this important?

The discovery of WELV is another reason for the growing concern over tick-borne ********* as ticks expand their habitats. With ongoing changes in the climate, these viruses have been detected in areas that were previously free of the ticks that cause them.

For example, the first-ever case of tick-borne encephalitis in the ******* Kingdom was recorded recently. Experts

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that this virus, which causes brain swelling, was absent in the region two or three decades ago.

Do you worry about getting ********* from bug bites?

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Similarly, towns in the northeastern ******* States have reported cases of the Powassan virus, another tick-borne illness that can lead to severe health issues such as encephalitis and meningitis.

These issues shine a light on how rising global temperatures have created ideal conditions for the spread of vector-borne illnesses.

What’s being done about this?

To protect yourself and your family from WELV and other tick-borne viruses, continued awareness and vigilance is necessary.

“Taken together, these data suggest that a newly discovered orthonairovirus, WELV, is [pathogenic] to humans … and circulates among humans, ticks and various animals in northeastern China,” the researchers

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. “Improving surveillance and detection for emerging orthonairoviruses will allow a better understanding of the effect that these viruses have on human health.”

Taking

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when spending time outdoors, including wearing clothes that cover your entire body; using

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; and thoroughly checking your clothes, skin, and pets after returning home can help reduce the risk of tick bites. Additionally,

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planting tick-repellent plants such as

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in your garden to create a safer outdoor space.

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#Improving #surveillance #understanding

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