Health officials have confirmed New York’s first known case of Bourbon virus, a rare tick-borne illness that can cause severe symptoms and currently has no specific cure.
Michael Larkin, a 67-year-old father of three from Long Island, became ill after being bitten by two lone star ticks while doing yard work at his home in Suffolk County in 2021.
Larkin removed the ticks shortly after finding them, but within days he began experiencing a fever and a severe headache. His condition continued to worsen, and he later developed a rash, night sweats, extreme fatigue and intense pain.
Doctors initially suspected Lyme disease, one of the more common tick-borne illnesses in the region. Larkin was tested for Lyme and treated with antibiotics, but the medication did not help.
“I just kept feeling worse and worse,” he told CBS News.
At times, his symptoms became so debilitating that he could barely move from the couch. He eventually asked his wife to take him to the hospital because the pain and exhaustion had become unbearable.
Larkin spent five days in the hospital before being discharged. Although he recovered, doctors were unable to determine exactly what had caused his illness at the time.
The answer did not come until April 2026, nearly five years after the original tick bites. Researchers at Stony Brook University identified Bourbon virus antibodies in his blood as part of a study examining people with unexplained symptoms linked to tick exposure.
The study followed 107 patients who had experienced fever and other signs of tick-borne disease between 2019 and 2024. Blood samples were sent to the New York State Department of Health for testing. Larkin’s samples were checked repeatedly, and researchers found that his antibody levels increased eightfold over one month, strongly confirming a Bourbon virus infection.
“This one case certainly was the Bourbon virus,” said Dr. Luis Marcos, director of the Tick-Borne Disease Clinic at Stony Brook University. He noted that Larkin had suffered serious symptoms and required hospitalization.
Bourbon virus was first identified in 2014 in Bourbon County, Kansas, which gave the disease its name. Only a small number of human cases have been officially recorded, mostly in Midwestern states including Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. At least two patients diagnosed with the virus have died.
The illness can cause fever, fatigue, headache, muscle pain and rashes. In more serious cases, it may reduce white blood cell levels, weakening the body’s ability to fight infection. It can also lower platelet counts, making it harder for blood to clot and increasing the risk of dangerous bleeding.
There is no commercially available test for Bourbon virus. In New York, suspected samples must be sent to the state health department for specialized analysis. There is also no approved antiviral treatment, so care is focused on managing symptoms and supporting the patient while the immune system responds.
Marcos believes the virus may be more common in the Northeast than current figures suggest. Lone star ticks are widespread in New York, and Bourbon virus symptoms can closely resemble those caused by other tick-borne infections. As a result, some cases may be misdiagnosed or never identified.
Researchers say the discovery highlights the need for broader surveillance, improved testing and more research into possible treatments. Better awareness among doctors could also help patients receive a diagnosis sooner.
Larkin now takes extra precautions when working outdoors. He wears clothing treated with permethrin, an insecticide used to repel ticks, and remains more alert to the risks of tick bites.