China Virus Alert: New Tick-Borne Virus Poses Brain Damage Risk

A new virus, named the Wetland Virus (WELV), has been discovered in China and can infect humans through tick bites. In some cases, it can impact the brain, leading to neurological diseases.

The virus was first identified in June 2019 in a 61-year-old patient from Jinzhou, who fell ill after being bitten by ticks in the wetlands of Inner Mongolia. According to a report published in *The New England Journal of Medicine*, the patient exhibited symptoms such as fever, headache, vomiting, and resistance to antibiotics.

WELV belongs to a family of viruses that are known to be transmitted by ticks, which are capable of causing serious illnesses in humans, similar to the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus. After the initial discovery of the virus, researchers collected around 14,600 ticks from northern China and found that 2% of them carried WELV genetic material.

The virus was also detected in various animals, including sheep, horses, pigs, and a type of rodent known as Transbaikal zokor. It was shown to cause damage to human umbilical vein endothelial cells and proved deadly in animal models.

In addition, researchers analyzed blood samples from forest rangers in the region and discovered antibodies to WELV in 12 out of 640 individuals. Further tests on patients with tick bites revealed 20 more cases of WELV infection, with symptoms including fever, dizziness, headache, nausea, and diarrhea. One patient even went into a coma due to elevated white blood cell levels in the brain and spinal fluid.

Although all infected patients eventually recovered with treatment, laboratory experiments on mice revealed that WELV could lead to lethal infections and affect the nervous system, particularly the brain.

The researchers concluded that WELV is a newly discovered virus that poses a threat to humans and is transmitted between ticks, animals, and people in northeastern China. They emphasized the importance of improving surveillance and detection to better understand the potential impact of emerging viruses like WELV on human health.