A Long Island man's frightening illness has become a landmark public health case in New York.
It was the state's first confirmed Bourbon virus infection, a rare tick-borne disease with no vaccine and no specific treatment.
According to CBS News, Michael Larkin was doing yard work at his home in Brookhaven Town when he noticed two lone star ticks attached to his leg. He removed them, but within days, he began feeling sick and went to a local clinic, where he said he was tested for Lyme disease. The test came back negative.
His condition kept getting worse. Larkin later described a cascade of symptoms, including rash, fever, night sweats, and severe headaches. Even after receiving antibiotics, he became so weak that he eventually asked his wife to take him to the hospital.
Doctors at Stony Brook, including Dr. Luis Marcos, helped determine that Larkin did not have Lyme disease. He then joined an antibody study that lasted a year. His blood was tested every three months.
Only recently was his illness confirmed as Bourbon virus, making it the first confirmed case in New York state. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Bourbon virus has neither a vaccine nor a specific medicine to treat it. The virus is rare, and its symptoms can overlap with those of other tick-borne illnesses people may already know about. That can make diagnosis more difficult, especially early on, when standard testing may focus on more common diseases such as Lyme.
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Lone star ticks are present on Long Island, and doctors say the number of recognized Bourbon virus cases may not tell the full story. Dr. Marcos warned that the confirmed infections reported so far could be only a small part of the picture.
Tick bites can lead to illnesses beyond the ones most commonly discussed. Rare infections may become easier to recognize as doctors track unusual cases, run follow-up testing, and build awareness through hospital studies and reporting. That helps clinicians spot emerging patterns earlier and gives patients better odds of getting the right care, even when no targeted treatment is available.
Larkin's doctors urged prevention and tick checks, especially when spending time outdoors. Since ticks can be extremely small, a quick glance may not be enough after yard work. Dr. Marcos recommended shining a bright light, using a mirror, or asking another person to help inspect hard-to-see areas.
Larkin has also changed his routine. He now wears permethrin-treated clothing when working outdoors to reduce the risk of future bites.
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