ISTANBUL

A Japanese woman in her 70s, who died after 26 days of treatment at a hospital, became the world's first victim of a tick-borne infection after contracting the Oz virus in the eastern Ibaraki province, north of Tokyo, authorities said on Friday. 

This is the world's first reported fatality caused by the potentially tick-borne infection, Tokyo-based Kyodo news reported.

According to the provincial government and Japan's Health Ministry, the woman sought medical attention in the summer of 2022 after experiencing symptoms such as fever and fatigue.

Her condition worsened after she was initially diagnosed with pneumonia, necessitating hospitalization.

During her treatment, doctors discovered an engorged tick on her upper right thigh. She died 26 days after being admitted to the hospital of myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle.

The National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Tokyo confirmed that no vaccine is currently available for the Oz virus, which has only been detected in Japan.

The institute emphasized the need for further research to fully comprehend the symptoms and potential risks associated with the infection.

In 2018, the Oz virus was first identified in the Amblyomma testudinarium tick species found in Ehime province, western Japan. It is believed that this tick species is responsible for transmitting the virus, with its presence observed across a wide area of the country.