By admin 
New York’s first confirmed case of Bourbon virus — and the story of the man who survived it — is bringing national attention to a rare tick-borne virus that was first identified in Kansas a little over a decade ago.
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Michael Larkin, of Long Island, was bitten by a tick while in his backyard in 2021, USA Today recently reported. For five years, he experienced “debilitating fevers, headaches and night sweats.”
“I just keep feeling worse and worse,” Larkin recalled to CBS News in May.
With symptoms similar to Lyme disease, he received the standard treatment but showed no improvement. It wasn’t until April, after joining a year-long study, that he was officially diagnosed with Bourbon virus.
“This one case certainly was the Bourbon virus, and over a one-month period antibody titers increased eight-fold,” Luis Marcos, director of the Tick-borne Disease Clinic at Stony Brook University, said in a July news release. “The patient had shown some very severe symptoms and was hospitalized.”
Bourbon virus is spread through infected lone star ticks, also known to cause alpha-gal syndrome, which makes people more likely to have allergic reactions to products derived from mammals, including beef and pork.
“If someone has a rare infection via the lone star tick, such as the Bourbon virus, the diagnosis and treatment are more difficult because there is currently no exact commercial test to confirm this viral infection,” Stony Brook Medicine said in the news release.
There are also no vaccines to treat or prevent Bourbon virus, which can be fatal.
Here’s what to know about the virus, which was first identified in Kansas.
Bourbon virus in Kansas
Bourbon virus was first discovered in 2014 in Bourbon County, Kansas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
It is spread by the lone star tick, “the most abundant tick in Kansas,” the Kansas Department of Health and Environment said in 2024 after a fatal case of Bourbon virus was reported in the state.
Since 2020, there have been two cases of Bourbon virus in Kansas, according to the state’s data dashboard.
In 2024, a man between the ages of 55 to 64 died from the virus. And in 2022, a man between the ages of 45 to 54 was diagnosed with Bourbon virus.
KDHE did not immediately respond to a request for more information about the two cases, including the counties where the cases were reported or if the 2022 case was fatal.
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Bourbon virus across the US
Federal health officials say there have been “a limited number of Bourbon cases” reported across the country.
The cases have been reported in the Midwest, East Coast and Southern U.S.
“At this time, CDC does not know if the virus might be found in other areas of the United States,” officials said.
Bourbon virus symptoms
Symptoms of Bourbon virus include fever, fatigue, rash, headaches and body aches, nausea and vomiting.
People with Bourbon virus may also have lower than normal counts of white blood cells and platelets.
Bourbon virus prevention, diagnosis and treatment
Because there are no medicines or vaccines available to prevent Bourbon virus, health officials say the best way to prevent the virus is to prevent tick bites.
You can reduce your risk of tick bites by using insect repellents, wearing long sleeves and pants, avoiding bushy or wooded areas and checking for ticks after spending time outside.
If you find a tick attached to your skin, you should remove it as soon as possible and watch for symptoms.
“If you develop a rash or fever within several weeks of removing a tick, see your doctor,” the CDC said. There are not any commercial tests available, but your doctor may contact the state health department if it is believed you may have the virus.
While there are no treatments designed for Bourbon virus, officials say there are medicines available to treat the symptoms.
“Mild symptoms can be treated with over-the-counter medicines, like pain relievers,” the CDC said. “Some patients may need to be hospitalized and given intravenous fluids and treatment for pain and fever.”
This story was originally published August 3, 2026 at 9:58 AM with the headline “Rare & untreatable Bourbon virus was first identified in KS. How to protect yourself.”
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