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TikTok's 'Mystery Virus': Symptoms, Treatment, And Debunking Misinformation
It's not unusual to feel a little out of sorts at this time of year. It's cold and flu season, after all. However, concerns about a "mystery virus" are spreading online.
People began speculating about a "mystery virus" in February when a video by TikTok user @thatgirlkanesha went viral.
"You mean to tell me that everyone in the U.S. Is getting sick by some virus, but they don't know where it's called?" she shares in the video.
"When I say everybody, I'm including myself too. I just had this so-called virus last week. I was feeling very lightheaded. I felt like I had to vomit. I felt like I was going to pass out. All of these symptoms are not adding up to me."
Countless other videos have since emerged, with online creators claiming to experience many of the symptoms of COVID-19 (such as congestion and shortness of breath) despite testing negative for it.
However, health experts say this so-called "mystery virus" is unlikely to be cause for concern.
While it's not clear exactly what illnesses people may have in the videos that are trending online, health experts say there likely isn't much of a mystery to solve.
"The symptoms people in the videos describe, such as coughing, fever, fatigue, and generalized muscle pain, are common to many viral illnesses, including colds, COVID-19, and the influenza virus," says board certified family physician Dr Sarah Bonza.
Additionally, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is another illness that is circulating and can cause similar symptoms to other viral infections like colds, the flu, or COVID-19.
"The symptoms can overlap greatly in these diseases, so it can be common to mistake them for one another, even without official testing," she notes.
What's more, general practitioner and founder of Say GP, Dr Semiya Aziz, notes that it's possible that common viral illnesses (like colds and flu, for example) can mutate and change over time, forming new strains.
"This does not mean it is a new virus. It is simply a new version of the old virus," she points out. "These changes may potentially present with new, previously unknown, symptoms and may explain what individuals are currently describing as a mystery virus."
It's natural to feel concerned if you're experiencing new and unexpected symptoms, but both experts agree that the "mystery virus" currently trending on TikTok is likely a common respiratory illness.
Bonza says trends like these can cause unwarranted illness anxiety.
"We live in a post-pandemic era, and when you combine that with social media, health concerns can go viral even if there is no solid basis for them," she points out.
What's more, Bonza says the symptoms people are describing are non-specific and flu-like, which suggests they can be down to common viral illnesses such as the flu.
Considering we're at the tail end of winter, Bonza says this isn't surprising.
The unknown often sparks cause for concern, but TikTok's "mystery virus" is unlikely to be something serious.
"As frightening as these new symptoms may appear, individuals suffering from this infection have not described them as life threatening or as warranting hospital admission," Aziz points out.
"It's important to realize that whilst some of these symptoms are extremely frightening, most viral infections are self-limiting and pass over a period of several days, with or without over-the-counter treatment," she notes.
Online claims can create unnecessary fear, and Bonza says you should exercise extra caution when believing the so-called health information you find online.
She advises waiting for official announcements from the CDC or local health authorities.
"There is a meticulous system that public authorities follow when managing infectious diseases that spread quickly, and if there isn't a current official announcement, then it shouldn't be a cause for alarm," Bonza notes.
While the mystery virus probably isn't cause for concern, you may find the symptoms unpleasant, inconvenient, and debilitating. So, how can you treat them?
"Rest is crucial," says Aziz. "It allows the body to fight off the virus effectively, so make sure you're getting plenty of sleep and avoiding overexertion."
Ensuring you stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids is also a good idea.
"This not only helps with hydration but also helps thin mucus secretions and alleviate symptoms like sore throat and dry cough," Aziz explains.
Antibiotics are ineffective for viruses like colds and flu. However, you can take pain relief medication. Aziz says over-the-counter pain relief drugs may help to reduce fever and relieve headaches and body aches.
However, Bonza says if the fever doesn't seem to go away in a week and you are experiencing signs of respiratory distress, such as difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, grunting, sweating, and wheezing, you should see a healthcare professional.
Bonza says practicing hand hygiene with soap and water to stop the spread of germs is a great place to start.
She also recommends upping your intake of vitamin C and making time for rest to help keep your immune system healthy and strong.
Maintaining healthy lifestyle habits can also help.
"Eating a balanced diet, staying physically active, getting enough sleep, managing stress, avoiding tobacco smoke and excessive alcohol consumption, may all help to support your immune system," Aziz notes.
"Incorporating these preventive measures into your daily routine may reduce the risk of getting viral infections and protect you and others from illness," she says.
It's a good idea to keep up to date with vaccinations, too, including annual flu vaccines and COVID-19 vaccines. These reduce your chances of contracting a viral illness and can reduce the severity of the infection if you do.
Health experts say there's little mystery about the so-called "mystery virus" trending on social media platforms like TikTok.
The symptoms described in many online posts overlap with the respiratory illnesses we see every cold and flu season.
Health information shared on social media can often spark fear, but the so-called "mystery virus" is unlikely to be a serious cause for concern.
Top 10 Most Dangerous Viruses In The World
1. Marburg virusThe most dangerous virus is the Marburg virus. It is named after a small and idyllic town on the river Lahn - but that has nothing to do with the disease itself. The Marburg virus is a hemorrhagic fever virus. As with Ebola, the Marburg virus causes convulsions and bleeding of mucous membranes, skin and organs. It has a fatality rate of 90 percent.
2. EbolaThere are five strains of the Ebola virus, each named after countries and regions in Africa: Zaire, Sudan, Tai Forest, Bundibugyo and Reston. The Zaire Ebola virus is the deadliest, with a mortality rate of 90 percent. It is the strain currently spreading through Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, and beyond. Scientists say flying foxes probably brought the Zaire Ebola virus into cities.
3. HantavirusThe Hantavirus describes several types of viruses. It is named after a river where American soldiers were first thought to have been infected with the Hantavirus, during the Korean War in 1950. Symptoms include lung disease, fever and kidney failure.
4. Bird flu virusThe various strains of bird flu regularly cause panic - which is perhaps justified because the mortality rate is 70 percent. But in fact the risk of contracting the H5N1 strain - one of the best known - is quite low. You can only be infected through direct contact with poultry. It is said this explains why most cases appear in Asia, where people often live close to chickens.
5. Lassa virusA nurse in Nigeria was the first person to be infected with the Lassa virus. The virus is transmitted by rodents. Cases can be endemic - which means the virus occurs in a specific region, such as in western Africa, and can reoccur there at any time. Scientists assume that 15 percent of rodents in western Africa carry the virus.
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6. Junin virusThe Junin virus is associated with Argentine hemorrhagic fever. People infected with the virus suffer from tissue inflammation, sepsis and skin bleeding. The problem is that the symptoms can appear to be so common that the disease is rarely detected or identified in the first instance.
The Marburg virus under a microscopeImage: Bernhard-Nocht-Institut 7. The Crimea-Congo feverThe Crimea-Congo fever virus is transmitted by ticks. It is similar to the Ebola and Marburg viruses in the way it progresses. During the first days of infection, sufferers present with pin-sized bleedings in the face, mouth and the pharynx.
8. The Machupo virusThe Machupo virus is associated with Bolivian hemorrhagic fever, also known as black typhus. The infection causes high fever, accompanied by heavy bleedings. It progresses similar to the Junin virus. The virus can be transmitted from human to human, and rodents often the carry it.
9. Kyasanur Forest Virus (KFD)Scientists discovered the Kyasanur Forest Virus (KFD) virus in woodlands on the southwestern coast of India in 1955. It is transmitted by ticks, but scientists say it is difficult to determine any carriers. It is assumed that rats, birds and boars could be hosts. People infected with the virus suffer from high fever, strong headaches and muscle pain which can cause bleedings.
10. Dengue feverDengue fever is a constant threat. If you're planning a holiday in the tropics, get informed about dengue. Transmitted by mosquitoes, dengue affects between 50 and 100 million people a year in popular holiday destinations such as Thailand and India. But it's more of a problem for the 2 billion people who live in areas that are threatened by dengue fever.
Editor's note: This article was originally published July 5, 2022, and was updated February 26, 2024.
Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever, CCHF, Virus Spreading In Europe Due To Climate Change
Warmer and shorter Winters have meant that ticks carrying viruses causing Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic ... [+] fever (CCHF) have been moving Northwards into more temperate regions. Here CCHF viral particles (yellow) bud from the surface of cultured epithelial cells from a patient. (Photo by: IMAGE POINT FR/NIH/NIAID/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty ImagesHere's another growing problem with climate change that politicians and business leaders can ignore—the spread of CCHF. CCHF is not a rock band. That would be CCR or Creedence Clearwater Revival. Instead, CCHF stands for Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever. And it's not like cowbell fever. It's a potentially deadly fever caused by a virus that's on the list of World Health Organization (WHO) priority pathogens that can cause outbreaks and pandemics.
The problem is that the Earth is essentially warming up to the spread of this virus. Rising temperatures around the world have been expanding the habitat of the ticks that can carry and transmit the nairovirus that causes CCHF into more temperate regions such as Europe. For example, Spain had its first cases of CCHF in 2011 and 2016. Yes, folks this is yet another ticking time bomb from climate change.
Before you claim that CCHF is not a big deal. Go to the bathroom. Put down your G.I. Joe doll. Open one of your hands. And slap yourself on the face. CCHF is absolutely, positively not like a cold. It's fun thing to have. That's unless you find the sudden onset of headaches, high fevers, back pain, joint pain, stomach pain, and vomiting to be a fun things. Oh, and there's all the well-red stuff, so to speak, like the red eyes, flushed face, red throat, and red spots on your palate, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). You can also suffer jaundice. Hmm, what else? You could possibly have changes in your mood. That's beyond the fact that you're upset that you have freaking CCHF.
The tip off that CCHF is really bad is the "hemorrhagic" in its name. Very few things with this word—which means a lot of bleeding—are good. For example, if you happen to see "hemorrhagic ice cream" as one of the flavors in an ice cream shop, avoid that flavor. In fact, you may want to avoid the ice cream shop all together. After about four days of symptoms, CCHF can progress to some bloody awful problems such as severe bruising, severe nosebleeds, and uncontrolled bleeding at any part of the skin that may be penetrated with something like a needle. This bleeding can last for two weeks. Death has resulted in 9% to 50% of hospitalized patients during CCHF outbreaks. That's a pretty high risk of death. Even if you do survive CCHF, recovery can take a long time because bleeding all over the place is not something you simply walk off when it subsides.
Here's some more great news. There no real specific treatments for CCHF. The antiviral drug ribavirin may help. But the jury is still out on that. The main things to do is stay well hydrated, have your electrolytes closely monitored and corrected where needed, and receive extra oxygen and blood when needed. Of course, things could spiral down, requiring ventilator and other types of cardiopulmonary support. You've got to beware of getting secondary bacterial infections as well. Yeah, all of this really bites and sucks.
The hard-bodied Ixodid tick (Ixodes), that carries the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus, is ... [+] seen in Ankara, Turkiye on May 26, 2022. Hakan Nural / Anadolu Agency
Anadolu AgencySpeaking of bites and sucks, Ixodid (hard) ticks such as the Hyalomma ones can carry the CCHF virus. These ticks can bite and transmit the virus to all sorts of animals besides humans such as cattle, goats, sheep and hares. So if you are planning that sheep and hare rave for this Saturday night and a tick brings along the virus, you may have a Saturday night fever situation. The tick can transmit the virus among humans and other animals through biting and sucking. You know what else sucks? Infectious blood or other body fluids can transmit the virus as well. So, you've got to make sure that medical equipment and other supplies are properly sterilized.
CCHF is already endemic in a number of different countries around the world. So far, these have tended to be countries with climates warmer than most of Western, Central, and Northern Europe. The list hasd included the following countries in Africa: Benin, Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. There are also several countries in the Middle East on the list: Iran, Iraq, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Oh, and CCHF is endemic in various parts of China, India, Pakistan, and Russia as well as the following countries in Central Asia: Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan too. Then there are countries in Eastern Europe such as Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Georgia, Greece, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia, Turkey, and Ukraine. That's quite a few countries already.
Here's what's going to tick people off even more. This list is bound to grow even more as climate change continues to warm the Earth in a non-comforting way. Many countries in Europe are probably next. And with CCHF on the WHO list of priority pathogens, there's always the potential of it going even more global, maybe even in a pandemic sort of way.
CCHF should be yet another reason why political and business leaders need to stop dragging their feet and knuckles about addressing climate change. Global temperatures hitting new highs this past week, the continuing spread of various diseases, the increased frequency of wildfires, and numerous other warning signs should tick off every box for a global emergency. Political and business leaders could do a lot more about curbing pollution right now. But CCHF spreads and no such action is taken, blood will be on the hands soon.
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