Chinese scientists have discovered a new virus transmitted from ticks to humans, called ALTNV. A study involving more than 3,000 patients found that this virus can cause fever, severe fatigue, gastrointestinal problems, and a decrease in platelet count. Seven out of 38 patients infected with both ALTNV and another tick-borne virus have died.
elchi reports that a previously unknown virus was identified during a study of people who sought medical attention for fever after tick bites in China. Scientists have named the new virus “Alongshan tick-borne virus” (ALTNV).
The results of the study were published on September 2 in the *New England Journal of Medicine* (NEJM), one of the world’s leading medical journals.
More than 3,000 patients examined
Scientists examined 3,163 patients who had been exposed to ticks and were suffering from fever. ALTNV RNA or IgM antibodies were detected in 10.4% of the patients.
Among patients who tested negative for Dabie bandavirus (DBV), the infection rate for ALTNV was found to be 15.1%.
Fatigue and gastrointestinal problems were predominant
84% of patients with only ALTNV infection experienced fatigue, and 80% experienced gastrointestinal problems. 38% of the patients showed a decrease in platelet count, and 36% showed elevated aminotransferase levels, which can indicate liver or other tissue damage.
An important detail of the study was that all patients with only ALTNV infection recovered.
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