Heartland Virus in Humans and Ticks, Illinois, USA, 2018–2019
Holly C. Tuten, Kristen L. Burkhalter, Kylee R. Noel, Erica J. Hernandez, Seth Yates, Keith Wojnowski, J. L. Hartleb, Samantha Debosik, April Holmes, Chris Stone
Abstract
H eartland virus (HRTV), a phlebovirus in the order Bunyavirales, is an emerging zoonotic pathogen. In 2009, after 2 cases were identified in persons in Missouri, additional cases were subsequently reported from Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Georgia, and South Carolina. Disease onset was most often during April-September (1). HRTV symptoms can initially resemble those of ehrlichiosis (2) and include fatigue, fever, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia (3). Human illness caused by HRTV infection often requires hospitalization and has resulted in death (1).