Recently a new virus has emerged in China, named Wetland Virus (WELV). This virus has worried scientists and health officials. Knowing the reason behind this can make you sweat. Let us tell you that this virus spreads due to tick bites, but its consequences can be very serious. This virus can also cause serious neurological problems (What are the diseases caused by wetlands?) in some cases.

When was this virus found?

Let us tell you that WELV was first identified in 2019 in a 61-year-old man in Jinzhou city of China. This person was bitten by a tick in the wetland of Inner Mongolia, after which symptoms like fever, headache and vomiting started appearing in him five days later. Signs of antibiotic resistance were also visible in the patient.

In which organisms is this virus found?

After this, scientists conducted an in-depth study in northern China and found that WELV was present in about 2% of the ticks found in this region. In particular, this virus was found more in the tick species named Haemaphysalis concinna. WELV RNA has also been found in sheep, horses, pigs and rodents named Transbaikal clown. This virus is not only damaging human cells, but has also caused fatal infections in animals.

What symptoms appear when infected?

The researchers also analysed blood samples of forest rangers in the area and found that 12 out of 640 people had antibodies to WELV. Further tests conducted on tick-bitten patients revealed that 20 individuals were found to be WELV positive. These patients experienced symptoms like fever, dizziness, headache, nausea and diarrhoea. Not only this, one patient also went into a coma due to this virus.

Although most patients recovered after treatment, experiments on mice showed that WELV could cause fatal infections and, in some cases, affect the nervous system.

Some important things related to WELV

• WELV is spread by tick bites.
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• This virus can affect many organs including the brain.
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• It is important to follow tick prevention measures to prevent WELV.