First case of Bourbon virus confirmed in OK

(TULSA) - The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) says recent results from a test at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that a Payne County resident tested positive for a tick borne disease known as the Bourbon virus.

This case is the first confirmed case in Oklahoma, and only the second case in the United States.

The first case was in Kansas last year.

The Oklahoma patient first came down with symptoms last May and has since fully recovered.

However, because the disease is so new, more research is needed to fully understand the severity and geographic range of Bourbon virus.

Oklahoma ranks among those states with the highest incidence of other tick borne diseases.

Experts predict a summer with more ticks than usual due to the weather.

Symptoms of the Bourbon virus may include fever, severe muscle and joint pain, fatigue, disorientation, diarrhea, and a rash.

OSDH wants everyone to be cautious outdoors.

The OSDH advises persons who participate in hiking, camping, bicycle trail riding, yard work, gardening, and other outdoor activities to prevent tick bites by following the tips below.

•             Wear light-colored clothing to make ticks easier to see and remove before attachment.

•             Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants tucked into socks to deprive ticks of attachment sites.

•             Wear closed-toe shoes, not sandals.

•             Hikers and cyclists should stay in the center of trails to avoid grass and brush.

•             Check for ticks at least once per day, particularly along waistbands, hairline and back of neck, in the armpits and groin area. Remove attached ticks as soon as possible using tweezers or fingers covered with a tissue.

•             Use an insect repellent containing DEET on skin and clothing according to directions. (Insect repellents with permethrin should be used on clothing only and according to directions.)

•             Check with a veterinarian about tick control for pets. Dogs and cats can get tick borne illnesses too, and they are a traveling tick parade, bringing ticks into a home if not on a tick preventive regimen.