Key points
- There is no specific treatment for Heartland virus disease; clinical management is supportive.
- Patients with medical comorbidities should be monitored closely for severe complications.
- Counsel patients about using personal protective measures to prevent tick bites.
Treatment
There is no specific treatment for Heartland virus disease; clinical management is supportive. Many patients diagnosed with the disease have required hospitalization. With supportive care, most people have fully recovered. However, a few older individuals with medical comorbidities have developed severe disease, including hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, and died.
Prevention
Prevention of Heartland virus disease 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. More information about reducing exposure to ticks is available on the CDC Ticks website.