A newly identified virus, the Wetland Virus (WELV), has emerged in China, raising concerns as it can infect humans through tick bites and potentially lead to neurological diseases.
WELV was first detected in June 2019 in a 61-year-old patient from Jinzhou who fell ill after a tick bite in the wetlands of Inner Mongolia. According to a report in The New England Journal of Medicine, the infected patient experienced fever, headache, vomiting, and symptoms resistant to antibiotics.
This tick-borne virus is part of a group known for being transmitted by ticks, which can cause severe illnesses in humans, such as Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever. Following its initial discovery, researchers collected nearly 14,600 ticks from various locations in northern China and found that 2% contained WELV genetic material.
The virus has also been detected in other animals, including sheep, horses, pigs, and rodents. Laboratory studies have shown that WELV can cause cytopathic effects in human endothelial cells and deadly infections in animal models.
Researchers analyzed blood samples from forest rangers in the area and discovered antibodies to WELV in approximately 12 out of 640 individuals. Additional testing revealed that 20 patients with tick bites tested positive for the virus, exhibiting symptoms such as fever, dizziness, headache, nausea, and diarrhea. One patient even fell into a coma due to elevated white blood cell counts in the brain and spinal fluid.
While all patients eventually recovered with treatment, laboratory experiments on mice indicated that WELV could lead to lethal infections and affect the nervous system, particularly the brain.
The researchers concluded that WELV poses a pathogenic risk to humans and circulates among humans, ticks, and various animals in northeastern China. They emphasized the need for improved surveillance and detection of emerging orthonairoviruses to better understand their impact on human health.
