The Lone Star tick strikes again, bringing with it another disease that could be fatal.
A tick-borne virus relatively new to Georgia has taken the life of a Baldwin County man, officials confirm. The officials did not identify the man.
The virus, called the Heartland virus, hospitalizes many of those infected. Emory University Associate Professor Gonzalo Vazquez-Prokopec, who has studied the virus since it was discovered in 2009, said that “for those individuals with some health conditions, (the virus) can be lethal,” he said.
There are no vaccines or medications to prevent or treat the Heartland virus, according to the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Protection.
The news is no doubt unnerving for Georgia hunters, fishermen and anyone else who spends time outdoors. Anyone else who comes into contact with ticks on wildlife and pets are also at risk.
