Key points

• Bourbon virus is rare and believed to spread through the bite of an infected tick.
• Cases have been found in the Midwest and southern United States.
• Symptoms may include fever, fatigue, rash, headache, body aches, nausea, and vomiting.
• There are no vaccines to prevent or medicines to treat Bourbon virus disease (Bourbon).

Overview

Bourbon virus is believed to be spread through the bite of an infected tick. The virus was discovered in 2014 and named for Bourbon County, Kansas where it was first identified.

A limited number of Bourbon cases have been reported in the Midwest and southern United States. At this time, CDC does not know if the virus might be found in other areas of the United States.

People diagnosed with Bourbon have reported symptoms including fever, fatigue, rash, headache, other body aches, nausea, and vomiting.

There are no vaccines to prevent or medicines to treat Bourbon. Reduce your risk of infection from Bourbon virus by preventing tick bites.

Bourbon virus is a rare cause of tickborne illness. Persons with Bourbon virus disease (Bourbon) will have similar signs and symptoms of other tickborne illnesses but will not respond to antibiotic treatment (e.g., doxycycline).

Symptoms include:

• fever
• fatigue
• rash
• headache
• other body aches
• nausea and vomiting

Other signs can include:

• Lower than normal counts of white blood cells, which help fight infections

• Lower than normal counts of platelets, which help prevent bleeding

If you think you or a family member might be infected with Bourbon virus, talk with your healthcare provider.

If you think you or someone in your family may have been infected with Bourbon virus, talk to your healthcare provider about your symptoms.

There are blood tests available to help determine if someone was infected.

There are no vaccines to prevent or medicines to treat Bourbon virus disease. Antibiotics do not treat viruses.

Mild symptoms can be treated with over-the-counter medicines, like pain relievers.

Some patients may need to be hospitalized and given intravenous fluids and treatment for pain and fever.

Key points

• There are no vaccines or medicines to prevent Bourbon virus disease (Bourbon).
• The best way to prevent Bourbon is to protect yourself from tick bites.

Prevention tips

Bourbon virus is spread to people by the bite of an infected tick. There are no vaccines or medicines to prevent Bourbon.

The best way to prevent Bourbon is to protect yourself from tick bites.

• Use insect repellents
• Wear long sleeves and pants
• Avoid bushy and wooded areas
• Perform thorough tick checks after spending time outdoors

Key points

• Bourbon virus disease is a tickborne illness associated with fever, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia.
• There is no specific treatment for Bourbon virus disease; clinical management is supportive.
• Contact your state or local health department to request testing if you have a patient with suspected Bourbon virus disease.
• Counsel patients about using personal protective measures to prevent tick bites.

Epidemiology

Bourbon virus is a RNA virus in the genus Thogotovirus (family Orthomyxoviridae) that was discovered in Bourbon County, Kansas in 2014. There have been a limited number of Bourbon virus disease cases identified in the United States. Most patients reported exposure to ticks before becoming ill.

Clinical features

Patients with Bourbon virus disease have reported fever, fatigue, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, and maculopapular rash. They were also found to have thrombocytopenia and leukopenia. Based on the patient’s clinical signs and symptoms, they were thought to have a tickborne disease. Some of the patients found to be infected with Bourbon virus have died during their acute illness.

Diagnosis

Molecular and serologic testing for Bourbon virus infection can be performed at CDC. There are no commercially available tests for Bourbon virus infection in the United States.

Please contact your state or local health department if you have a patient with an acute illness that might be compatible with Bourbon virus disease. They can assist you with determining if samples should be sent to the CDC Arbovirus Diagnostic Laboratory for further testing. Specimens should be submitted to CDC through state health departments. All results will be sent from CDC to the appropriate state health department.

Treatment and prevention

Currently there are no specific medications or therapies for Bourbon virus disease. Supportive therapy is recommended for any patient suspected of having Bourbon virus disease.

Prevention of Bourbon virus infection depends on personal protective measures to decrease exposure to infected ticks. This includes avoiding wooded and bushy areas with high grass in endemic areas, using repellents to discourage tick attachment, and finding and removing ticks before they have a chance to attach.