A new virus has been detected in the Chinese province where the first outbreak of COVID-19 was identified

In the Chinese province of Hubei, where the first outbreak of COVID-19 was recorded in late 2019, scientists have identified a new virus transmitted through tick bites. It has been named Asian longhorned tick nairovirus (ALTNV) and is capable of causing fever, severe fatigue, gastrointestinal disorders, and a decrease in platelet counts.

The discovery was reported by researchers from the State Key Laboratory of Pathogens and Biosecurity in Beijing. The new pathogen was named Asian longhorned tick nairovirus (ALTNV), and the results of the study were published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

The virus can trigger severe fatigue, gastrointestinal dysfunction, and a drop in platelet levels, and co-infection with another tick-borne virus can make the course of the disease more severe. One of the hotspots of the new virus was Hubei, where Wuhan—the site of the first COVID-19 outbreak—is located.

The researchers analyzed more than 3.1 thousand patients with fever after tick bites. ALTNV was detected in 10.4% of those examined, and among patients who did not test positive for the virus that causes severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTSV) — in 15.1%.

In cases of infection with ALTNV alone, fatigue, gastrointestinal symptoms, decreased platelet counts, and elevated liver enzymes were most commonly reported. All 56 patients with confirmed monoinfection recovered.

Co-infection with ALTNV and SFTSV was more severe. These patients were more likely to experience respiratory and kidney dysfunction. Out of 38 people with both infections, seven died.

The scientists also examined nearly 47.5 thousand ticks from 15 provinces of China. ALTNV genetic material was found in 1.29% of the specimens studied, most frequently in the Asian longhorned tick Haemaphysalis longicornis. Laboratory experiments showed that this species is capable of transmitting the virus to mice.

ALTNV and SFTSV circulate in the same regions and can be transmitted by the same tick species. Therefore, the researchers believe it is important to be able to distinguish between these infections when diagnosing patients with symptoms after a tick bite.

So far, ALTNV has only been detected as part of research in China. There is no data on its spread among humans or ticks outside the country.