A new virus, Heartland Virus, was in two patients near St. Joseph, Missouri.
Credit Elana Gordon / KCUR
En route to Larry Smithers' home in Amazonia, Mo.,
Credit Elana Gordon / KCUR
Hay bales on Larry Smithers' 40-acre plot.
Credit Elana Gordon / KCUR
Credit Elana Gordon / KCUR
Larry Smithers drives to the area where he may have been bitten by a tick carrying heartland virus..
Credit Elana Gordon / KCUR
Credit Elana Gordon / KCUR
Credit Elana Gordon / KCUR
Credit Elana Gordon / KCUR
Larry Smithers points to the fence he put up in '09, the area where he believes he got sick.
Credit Elana Gordon / KCUR
Credit Elana Gordon / KCUR
Credit Elana Gordon / KCUR
Smithers went to Heartland Regional Medical Center when he got sick.
Credit Elana Gordon / KCUR
Dr. Scott Folk (r) met with him, sent a blood sample to the CDC, leading to the discovery of a new virus.(Faye Eckert, pictured left, has been involved in trying to find other patients who might have the virus).).
Credit Elana Gordon / KCUR
Staff made this tie for Dr. Folk, to celebrate his involvement in identifying a new virus..
Credit Elana Gordon / KCUR
Researchers are trying to find other patients who may have had the virus.
Credit Elana Gordon / KCUR
Credit Elana Gordon / KCUR
Credit Elana Gordon / KCUR
Faye Eckert goes over the protocals for a study, aimed at finding other patients who may have had the virus.
This past year brought some unexpected attention to the St. Joseph, Missouri area. That’s where a team of researchers identified a new virus, believed to be transmitted by ticks.
