Pathogenesis and virulence of Heartland virus

Heartland virus (HRTV), an emerging tick-borne pathogenic bunyavirus, has been a concern since 2009, with an increasing incidence, expanding geographical distribution, and high pathogenicity in the United States. Infection from HRTV results in fever, thrombocytopenia, and leukopenia in humans, and in some cases, symptoms can progress to severe outcomes, including hemorrhagic disease, multi-organ failure, and even death. Currently, no vaccines or antiviral drugs are available for treatment of the HRTV disease. Moreover, little is known about HRTV-host interactions and viral replication mechanisms, pathogenesis, and virulence, further hampering the development of vaccines and antiviral interventions. Here, we aimed to provide a brief review of HRTV epidemiology, molecular biology, pathogenesis, and virulence on the basis of published article data to better understand this dangerous virus and provide clues for further study.