New York State has recently confirmed its first case of human infection with the Bourbon virus. This rare virus is transmitted by ticks, currently has no vaccine, no commercial testing tools, and no specific treatment methods. Although the global number of confirmed cases is still very low, medical experts point out that due to the similarity of symptoms with other common tick-borne diseases, the actual number of infections may be underestimated. The medical community is still unable to accurately assess the mortality rate, severity risk, or long-term health effects of the Bourbon virus.
The patient in this case is a 67-year-old man named Michael Larkin. About five years ago, while working outdoors in Suffolk County, Long Island, he was bitten by two lone star ticks. At that time, he experienced symptoms similar to Lyme disease, including a rash, fever, night sweats, and severe headaches, prompting him to receive antibiotic treatment for Lyme disease.
However, the patient’s symptoms did not improve immediately, and it was later discovered that he was actually infected with the Bourbon virus. Larkin was hospitalized for five days and eventually recovered. However, it was not until many years later that this case was confirmed through specialized laboratory testing.
This discovery was confirmed by Dr. Luis Marcos, a medical professor at Stony Brook University Renaissance School of Medicine, along with his team of researchers in the fields of medicine, microbiology, and immunology, and the director of the Long Island Tick-Borne Disease Clinic. After examining samples from 107 suspected tick-borne disease patients between 2019 and 2024, they found that Larkin’s blood sample met the characteristics of Bourbon virus infection.
Dr. Marcos stated that this discovery indicates that the Bourbon virus “may be more common than currently understood,” and some cases may go undiagnosed due to a lack of testing. He emphasized that the symptoms overlap significantly with other tick-borne diseases, making it challenging for clinical physicians to rely solely on symptom recognition.
The Bourbon virus was named after Bourbon County, Kansas, where the first confirmed case appeared in 2014 and is primarily transmitted by lone star ticks. These ticks, distinguished by white spots on their backs and aggressive behavior, are commonly found in wooded areas, tall grasses, and shrubbery, with their spread closely linked to the increasing population of white-tailed deer.
In a recent press conference, Senator Chuck Schumer called for increased federal funding for tick-borne disease research. He noted that Suffolk County reported 3,152 cases of Lyme disease in 2025, the highest among the 62 counties in New York State.