Long Island Man Confirmed as New York’s First Case of Rare Bourbon Virus Following Tick Bite

LONG ISLAND, New York — Health officials are urging increased public vigilance as a Long Island resident was identified as New York’s first confirmed case of the rare and potentially severe Bourbon virus.

The patient, Michael Larkin, originally contracted the illness in 2021 after discovering a tick bite while working in his backyard garden. Within five days of the bite, Larkin experienced debilitating symptoms, including an extreme headache, severe night sweats, and a spiking fever, which ultimately forced him to seek emergency medical care. While initial hospital blood tests revealed abnormally high liver enzymes and critically low blood platelets, standard testing ruled out Lyme disease. Doctors performed an immediate spinal tap and administered intravenous antibiotics, but Larkin was discharged without a definitive diagnosis.

Seeking answers, Larkin enrolled in an ongoing tick-bite research initiative at Stony Brook University led by infectious disease specialist Dr. Luis Marcos. Over a five-year period, Dr. Marcos collected roughly 100 blood samples from hospitalized patients exhibiting unexplained fevers, recent tick bites, and low platelet counts. The samples were recently analyzed by the New York State Department of Health, which formally confirmed that Larkin had contracted the Bourbon virus.

Fewer than a dozen cases of the virus have been documented nationwide since it was first discovered in Bourbon County, Kansas, in 2014. Because it is a virus rather than a bacterial infection, traditional antibiotics are ineffective, and treatment is primarily supportive. Despite its documented rarity, Dr. Marcos warns that the virus may be far more prevalent than data suggests, noting that commercial laboratories currently lack a rapid diagnostic test for it.

Medical experts attribute the emergence of the virus in New York to a massive demographic shift in local vector populations. The Lone Star tick, which acts as the primary vector for the Bourbon virus, has completely invaded Long Island and continues to displace native species.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows a steady increase in emergency room visits for tick bites across the Northeast. While the regional Fordham Tick Index currently sits at a 5 out of 10 risk level, scientists project that risk will climb dramatically in the coming weeks as summer temperatures rise. Health professionals emphasize that prevention remains the most effective defense, advising anyone spending time outdoors to apply EPA-approved insect repellents, wear protective clothing, and conduct thorough tick checks immediately upon returning indoors.

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