Although numerous tick-borne viruses are seemingly apathogenic in humans, a number of emerging tick-borne viruses have been recently identified to possess human-infection potential, with more yet to be discovered. Here, we call for greater research efforts to better delineate their precise disease burden and threats posed to global public health.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals
Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription
$29.99 / 30 days
cancel any time
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 print issues and online access
$209.00 per year
only $17.42 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
References
Balakrishnan, V. S. WHO launches global initiative for arboviral diseases. Lancet Microbe 3, e407 (2022).
Guglielmone, A. A. et al. The Argasidae, Ixodidae and Nuttalliellidae (Acari: Ixodida) of the world: a list of valid species names. Zootaxa 2528, 1–28 (2010).
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reported cases of notifiable diseases and rates per 100,000, excluding U.S. territories - United States; 2018. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://wonder.cdc.gov/nndss/static/2018/annual/2018-table1.html (2022).
Vandegrift, K. J. & Kapoor, A. The ecology of new constituents of the tick virome and their relevance to public health. Viruses 11, 529–541 (2019).
Ma, J. et al. Identification of a new orthonairovirus associated with human febrile illness in China. Nat. Med. 27, 434–439 (2021).
Zhou, H. et al. Tamdy virus in Ixodid ticks infesting Bactrian camels, Xinjiang, China, 2018. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 25, 2136–2138 (2019).
McMullan, L. K. et al. A new phlebovirus associated with severe febrile illness in Missouri. N. Engl. J. Med. 367, 834–841 (2012).
Kosoy, O. I. et al. Novel thogotovirus associated with febrile illness and death, United States, 2014. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 21, 760–764 (2015).
Wang, Z. D. et al. A new segmented virus associated with human febrile illness in China. N. Engl. J. Med. 380, 2116–2125 (2019).
Dong, Z. et al. Human Tacheng tick virus 2 infection, China, 2019. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 27, 594–598 (2021).
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the Academic Promotion Programme of Shandong First Medical University (2019QL006).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Competing interests
The authors declare no competing interests.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zhou, H., Xu, L. & Shi, W. The human-infection potential of emerging tick-borne viruses is a global public health concern. Nat Rev Microbiol 21, 215–217 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-022-00845-3
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-022-00845-3