2023-06-25 07:34:00
The first in the world.. Japanese death of “Oz virus” from a tick bite
The insect was found sucking blood at the base of the thigh of the elderly lady, where she died after about a month of inflammation of the heart muscle.
Posted on: June 25, 2023: 09:34 AM GST Last updated: June 25, 2023: 10:33 AM GST
In what is believed to be the first death from the virus in the world, the Japanese Ministry of Health said that a woman in her seventies in Ibaraki Prefecture died after being infected with the “Oz” virus as a result of a tick bite.
The “Japan Times” newspaper quoted the ministry as saying that while there have been reports of possible infections with the tick-borne virus in wildlife and humans, it is believed that this is the first death case in the world.
Pneumonia-like symptoms
According to the ministry, the woman, who has no history of any foreign travel trips, visited a medical clinic last summer and showed symptoms including fever, fatigue and joint pain. Tsukuba Medical.
When she was admitted to the hospital, a blood-sucking tick was found at the base of her right thigh, where she died about a month later from an infection of the heart muscle.
According to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID), the “Oz” virus was first detected in 2018 with the scientific name amblyomma testudinarium, in Japan’s Ehime Prefecture.
Inside Japan only
The ministry said that no “Oz” virus has yet been found outside Japan, while Tadaki Suzuki, an infectious disease expert at the National Institute of Mental Health, explained that since this is the first confirmed fatal case, it is difficult to judge the severity or danger of the virus in this time. stage.
“This case shows that the virus can cause serious symptoms including deaths, but previous detection of people who have the antibodies also shows that some people may not have symptoms or only have mild symptoms,” he said.
The department says the best precaution for people is to avoid exposing their skin when they are in areas where they might come into contact with ticks. She advises people who go to the bush to wear long-sleeved shirts and pants to avoid being bitten by them, especially from early spring until autumn when the insects become active.
The ministry said that anyone who has been bitten by such an insect should visit a doctor immediately for the necessary examination.
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