New Tick‑Borne Virus Shows Why Precise Diagnosis Matters

Researchers from the State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity in Beijing found ALTNV in 10.4% of 3,163 patients who had been bitten by ticks.

ALTNV infection produces flu‑like fever, muscle aches, fatigue, gastrointestinal problems, reduced platelet counts (thrombocytopenia) and laboratory signs of liver‑cell injury.

When patients were infected with both ALTNV and Dabie bandavirus (DBV), they experienced more respiratory and kidney complications, and 7 of the 38 co‑infected patients (18.4%) died during the study.

DBV is the virus that causes severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS). Both ALTNV and DBV are carried by the same tick species and can circulate in the same geographic areas.

Because the two viruses produce overlapping symptoms, the study’s authors called for improved differential diagnosis between infections with ALTNV and DBV in regions where SFTS is endemic.

The discovery highlights that accurate identification of the specific tick‑borne virus is essential for clinicians to manage patients correctly when symptoms are similar.

Researchers from the State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity in Beijing found ALTNV in 10.4% of 3,163 patients who had been bitten by ticks.

ALTNV infection produces flu‑like fever, muscle aches, fatigue, gastrointestinal problems, reduced platelet counts (thrombocytopenia) and laboratory signs of liver‑cell injury.

DBV is the virus that causes severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS). Both ALTNV and DBV are carried by the same tick species and can circulate in the same geographic areas.

Because the two viruses produce overlapping symptoms, the study’s authors called for improved differential diagnosis between infections with ALTNV and DBV in regions where SFTS is endemic.

The discovery highlights that accurate identification of the specific tick‑borne virus is essential for clinicians to manage patients correctly when symptoms are similar.