First confirmed case of untreatable Bourbon virus discovered in New York

In Suffolk County, New York, 67-year-old Michael Larkin was bitten by two lone-star ticks and later diagnosed with Bourbon virus, a little-known tick-borne illness lacking a vaccine, commercial test or specific therapy. Initially misdiagnosed as Lyme disease, he received antibiotics that did not address the viral infection, leading to symptoms such as rash, fever, night sweats and intense headaches. After five days of hospitalization, Larkin recovered, but the case marks the first confirmed occurrence of the disease in the state.

Dr. Luis Marcos, who treated Larkin, cautioned that the virus could be under-detected in the Northeast, where lone-star ticks are abundant. The virus, first identified in Kansas, has been reported only sporadically in the Midwest, averaging fewer than one case per year. Marcos emphasized the need for improved surveillance, diagnostic tools and clinical guidance to better manage potential future cases.