http://www.newsweek.com/georgia-lone-star-tick-heartland-virus-disease-deadly-1688666

Ticks in Georgia have been found to carry a new and potentially fatal disease known as Heartland virus. Scientists from Emory University sampled thousands of lone star ticks across the state and found the virus was prevalent among the population.

Heartland virus is an emerging infectious disease. It was first identified in Missouri in 2009 and has subsequently been found in 11 states in the Midwest and Southeast. Over 50 cases of the virus have been confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with fatalities recorded among people with underlying health conditions.