Heartland virus causes a nonspecific flu-like sickness.
The signs are:
- Fever
- Extreme fatigue or weak spot
- Generalized muscle aches (myalgia)
- Headache
- Lack of urge for food
Some individuals additionally expertise gastrointestinal signs:
Rash is absent or very gentle, not like in lots of different tick-borne illnesses.
Key laboratory findings usually embody:
- Low neutrophils and platelets
- Mildly elevated liver enzymes
- Generally diminished sodium ranges (hyponatremia)
Extreme signs might be seen in some instances:
- Confusion or altered psychological standing (about one-third of instances)
- Shock or organ failure (uncommon)
No distinctive medical options distinguish HRTV from different tick-borne diseases. Total presentation is much like different tick fevers: Fever, headache, fatigue, muscle aches, typically abdomen upset.
An infection with HRTV is commonly mistaken for ehrlichiosis; the primary Missouri instances had been initially handled with doxycycline.
Clinicians ought to suspect HRTV in somebody who has fever, leukopenia and thrombocytopenia within the spring or summer season. Particularly if there’s a risk of tick bites. When routine testing for different tick illnesses (ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, Rocky Mountain noticed fever, Lyme illness) is damaging, HRTV should be thought of.
