Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus 2022

A special issue of Viruses (ISSN 1999-4915). This special issue belongs to the section "Human Virology and Viral Diseases".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2022) | Viewed by 25167

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Guest Editor
1. Medical Affairs Department, Health and Welfare Bureau, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
2. National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
Interests: SFTS; SFTSV
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are now facing a global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by a novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome virus coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In 2013–2016, there was a huge outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in West Africa. In the last 30 years, we have identified many novel infectious diseases with high case fatality rate caused by viruses that spilled over from animals to humans. Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is one of the major emerging viral infections that should be included in this category.

SFTS was reported to be a novel bunyavirus infection by Chinese scientists in 2011. SFTS is a tick-borne viral infection with high morbidity and mortality. SFTS was discovered to be endemic to Japan and South Korea in 2012. The case fatality rate in patients with SFTS in Japan is reported to be approximately 30%. The vectors, which play a role in transmitting the causative agent, SFTS virus (SFTSV), are Haemaphysalis longicornis and others. Furthermore, patients with SFTS have been identified in Taiwan and Vietnam, indicating that the endemic area of SFTS is much wider than previously thought.

SFTSV is circulating in nature in Asia including China, Korea, and Japan, through transmission of the virus between some species of ticks and mammals. The evidence indicates that SFTS has occurred in the past and will continue to occur in the future. We cannot escape from the risk being infected with SFTSV, and we are unable to eradicate this virus.

Ten years have passed since the discovery of SFTS. We have had some achievements in the elucidation of the SFTSV characteristics, clarification of the SFTS epidemiology, pathophysiology of SFTS in patients, mechanisms of SFTSV maintenance in nature, and in the development of specific treatments and vaccines. In this Special Issue, we aim to collect some recent research and achievements in minimizing the mortality and morbidity in patients with SFTS. We welcome submissions addressing topics including but not limited to the following:

  1. New topics in SFTSV virology;
  2. Epidemiology of SFTS;
  3. Clinical aspects and pathophysiology of SFTS in patients;
  4. Diagnostics of SFTS in humans and animals;
  5. SFTS as a zoonotic disease;
  6. Mechanisms of SFTSV maintenance in nature;
  7. Development of specific treatments for patients with SFTS;
  8. Development of vaccines against SFTS;
  9. Other topics specific to SFTS.

Dr. Masayuki Saijo
Guest Editor

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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10 pages, 592 KiB  
Article
The Seroprevalence of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome: An Epidemiological Study of Korean Veterinary Hospital Workers
by Choon-Mee Kim, Dong-Min Kim, Mi-Seon Bang, Jun-Won Seo, Na-Ra Yun, Da-Young Kim, Mi-Ah Han, Ji-Hye Hwang and Sook-Kyung Park
Viruses 2023, 15(3), 609; https://doi.org/10.3390/v15030609 - 23 Feb 2023
Viewed by 1460
Abstract
Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is a zoonotic tick-borne infectious disease caused by the SFTS virus (SFTSV). Few studies have assessed SFTS seroprevalence among veterinary hospital staff and their awareness of SFTS. From January to May 2021, serum samples from 103 veterinary [...] Read more.
Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is a zoonotic tick-borne infectious disease caused by the SFTS virus (SFTSV). Few studies have assessed SFTS seroprevalence among veterinary hospital staff and their awareness of SFTS. From January to May 2021, serum samples from 103 veterinary hospital staff were tested for SFTS using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), an immunofluorescence assay, and a 50% plaque reduction neutralization antibody test, which yielded positive results in four (3.9%), three (2.9%), and two (1.9%) participants, respectively. A questionnaire was used for an epidemiological investigation. ELISA positivity was higher among those who lacked awareness of possible animal-to-human SFTS transmission (p = 0.029). SFTS awareness was significantly lower among veterinary hospital staff than among the veterinarians (p < 0.001). Providing staff with training concerning standard precautions and the use of appropriate personal protective equipment is important. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus 2022)
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13 pages, 1560 KiB  
Article
The First Nationwide Surveillance of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome in Ruminants and Wildlife in Taiwan
by Chih-Ying Kuan, Tsai-Lu Lin, Shan-Chia Ou, Shih-Te Chuang, Jacky Peng-Wen Chan, Ken Maeda, Tetsuya Mizutani, Ming-Pin Wu, Fan Lee, Fang-Tse Chan, Chao-Chin Chang, Rui-Ling Liang, Sue-Fung Yang, Tsung-Ching Liu, Wu-Chun Tu, Hau-You Tzeng, Chia-Jung Lee, Chuen-Fu Lin, Hsu-Hsun Lee, Jhih-Hua Wu, Hsiao-Chien Lo, Kuan-Chieh Tseng, Wei-Li Hsu and Chi-Chung Chouadd Show full author list remove Hide full author list
Viruses 2023, 15(2), 441; https://doi.org/10.3390/v15020441 - 05 Feb 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2602
Abstract
Since the first discovery of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) in China in 2009, SFTSV has rapidly spread through other Asian countries, including Japan, Korea, Vietnam and Pakistan, in chronological order. Taiwan reported its first discovery of SFTSV in sheep and [...] Read more.
Since the first discovery of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) in China in 2009, SFTSV has rapidly spread through other Asian countries, including Japan, Korea, Vietnam and Pakistan, in chronological order. Taiwan reported its first discovery of SFTSV in sheep and humans in 2020. However, the prevalence of SFTSV in domestic and wildlife animals and the geographic distribution of the virus within the island remain unknown. A total of 1324 animal samples, including 803 domestic ruminants, 521 wildlife animals and 47 tick pools, were collected from March 2021 to December 2022 from 12 counties and one terrestrial island. The viral RNA was detected by a one-step real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Overall, 29.9% (240/803) of ruminants showed positive SFTSV RNA. Sheep had the highest viral RNA prevalence of 60% (30/50), followed by beef cattle at 28.4% (44/155), goats at 28.3% (47/166), and dairy cows at 27.5% (119/432). The bovine as a total of dairy cow and beef cattle was 27.8% (163/587). The viral RNA prevalence in ticks (predominantly Rhipicephalus microplus) was similar to those of ruminants at 27.7% (13/47), but wild animals exhibited a much lower prevalence at 1.3% (7/521). Geographically the distribution of positivity was quite even, being 33%, 29.1%, 27.5% and 37.5% for northern, central, southern and eastern Taiwan, respectively. Statistically, the positive rate of beef cattle in the central region (55.6%) and dairy cattle in the eastern region (40.6%) were significantly higher than the other regions; and the prevalence in Autumn (September–November) was significantly higher than in the other seasons (p < 0.001). The nationwide study herein revealed for the first time the wide distribution and high prevalence of SFTSV in both domestic animals and ticks in Taiwan. Considering the high mortality rate in humans, surveillance of other animal species, particularly those in close contact with humans, and instigation of protective measures for farmers, veterinarians, and especially older populations visiting or living near farms or rural areas should be prioritized. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus 2022)
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9 pages, 1564 KiB  
Article
Increased Risk of Infection with Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Virus among Animal Populations on Tsushima Island, Japan, Including an Endangered Species, Tsushima Leopard Cats
by Aya Matsuu, Kandai Doi, Keita Ishijima, Kango Tatemoto, Yushi Koshida, Ayako Yoshida, Kohei Kiname, Akio Iwashita, Shin-ichi Hayama and Ken Maeda
Viruses 2022, 14(12), 2631; https://doi.org/10.3390/v14122631 - 25 Nov 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1659
Abstract
To investigate the seroprevalence of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) among wild and companion animals on Tsushima Island, Japan, SFTS virus (SFTSV)-specific ELISA and virus-neutralizing tests were conducted on 50 wild boars, 71 Sika deer, 84 dogs, 323 domestic cats, and 6 [...] Read more.
To investigate the seroprevalence of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) among wild and companion animals on Tsushima Island, Japan, SFTS virus (SFTSV)-specific ELISA and virus-neutralizing tests were conducted on 50 wild boars, 71 Sika deer, 84 dogs, 323 domestic cats, and 6 Tsushima leopard cats. In total, 1 wild boar (1.8%), 2 dogs (2.4%), 7 domestic cats (2.2%), and 1 Tsushima leopard cat (16.7%) were positive for anti-SFTSV antibodies. Among the 11 positive animals, 10 were collected after 2019, and all were found on the southern part of the island. SFTSV, thus far, seems to be circulating within a limited area of Tsushima Island. To protect humans and animals, including endangered Tsushima leopard cats, from SFTSV infection, countermeasures are needed to prevent the spread of SFTSV on Tsushima Island. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus 2022)
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12 pages, 1197 KiB  
Article
Lethal Disease in Dogs Naturally Infected with Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus
by Keita Ishijima, Kango Tatemoto, Eunsil Park, Masanobu Kimura, Osamu Fujita, Masakatsu Taira, Yudai Kuroda, Milagros Virhuez Mendoza, Yusuke Inoue, Michiko Harada, Aya Matsuu, Hiroshi Shimoda, Ryusei Kuwata, Shigeru Morikawa and Ken Maeda
Viruses 2022, 14(9), 1963; https://doi.org/10.3390/v14091963 - 04 Sep 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3190
Abstract
Severe fever with the thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) causes fatal disease in humans, cats, and cheetahs. In this study, the information on seven dogs with SFTS was summarized. All dogs showed anorexia, high fever, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia, two dogs showed vomiting and loose [...] Read more.
Severe fever with the thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) causes fatal disease in humans, cats, and cheetahs. In this study, the information on seven dogs with SFTS was summarized. All dogs showed anorexia, high fever, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia, two dogs showed vomiting and loose stool, and five dogs had tick parasites. All dogs also had a history of outdoor activity. The SFTSV gene was detected in all dogs. Remarkably, three dogs (43%) died. SFTSV was isolated from six dogs and the complete genomes were determined. A significant increase in anti-SFTSV-IgG antibodies was observed in two dogs after recovery, and anti-SFTSV-IgM antibodies were detected in four dogs in the acute phase. Using an ELISA cut-off value of 0.410 to discriminate between SFTSV-negative and positive dogs, the detection of anti-SFTSV-IgM antibodies was useful for the diagnosis of dogs with acute-phase SFTS. Four out of the ninety-eight SFTSV-negative dogs possessed high anti-SFTSV IgG antibody titers, indicating that some dogs can recover from SFTSV infection. In conclusion, SFTSV is lethal in some dogs, but many dogs recover from SFTSV infection. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus 2022)
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14 pages, 946 KiB  
Article
Clinical Differentiation of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome from Japanese Spotted Fever
by Nana Nakada, Kazuko Yamamoto, Moe Tanaka, Hiroki Ashizawa, Masataka Yoshida, Asuka Umemura, Yuichi Fukuda, Shungo Katoh, Makoto Sumiyoshi, Satoshi Mihara, Tsutomu Kobayashi, Yuya Ito, Nobuyuki Ashizawa, Kazuaki Takeda, Shotaro Ide, Naoki Iwanaga, Takahiro Takazono, Masato Tashiro, Takeshi Tanaka, Seiko Nakamichi, Konosuke Morimoto, Koya Ariyoshi, Kouichi Morita, Shintaro Kurihara, Katsunori Yanagihara, Akitsugu Furumoto, Koichi Izumikawa and Hiroshi Mukaeadd Show full author list remove Hide full author list
Viruses 2022, 14(8), 1807; https://doi.org/10.3390/v14081807 - 18 Aug 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2019
Abstract
Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) and Japanese spotted fever (JSF; a spotted fever group rickettsiosis) are tick-borne zoonoses that are becoming a significant public health threat in Japan and East Asia. Strategies for treatment and infection control differ between the two; therefore, [...] Read more.
Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) and Japanese spotted fever (JSF; a spotted fever group rickettsiosis) are tick-borne zoonoses that are becoming a significant public health threat in Japan and East Asia. Strategies for treatment and infection control differ between the two; therefore, initial differential diagnosis is important. We aimed to compare the clinical characteristics of SFTS and JSF based on symptomology, physical examination, laboratory data, and radiography findings at admission. This retrospective study included patients with SFTS and JSF treated at five hospitals in Nagasaki Prefecture, western Japan, between 2013 and 2020. Data from 23 patients with SFTS and 38 patients with JSF were examined for differentiating factors and were divided by 7:3 into a training cohort and a validation cohort. Decision tree analysis revealed leukopenia (white blood cell [WBC] < 4000/μL) and altered mental status as the best differentiating factors (AUC 1.000) with 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity. Using only physical examination factors, absence of skin rash and altered mental status resulted in the best differentiating factors with AUC 0.871, 71.4% sensitivity, and 90.0% specificity. When treating patients with suspected tick-borne infection, WBC < 4000/µL, absence of skin rash, and altered mental status are very useful to differentiate SFTS from JSF. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus 2022)
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11 pages, 1854 KiB  
Article
Susceptibility of Type I Interferon Receptor Knock-Out Mice to Heartland Bandavirus (HRTV) Infection and Efficacy of Favipiravir and Ribavirin in the Treatment of the Mice Infected with HRTV
by Hikaru Fujii, Hideki Tani, Kazutaka Egawa, Satoshi Taniguchi, Tomoki Yoshikawa, Shuetsu Fukushi, Souichi Yamada, Shizuko Harada, Takeshi Kurosu, Masayuki Shimojima, Takahiro Maeki, Chang-Kweng Lim, Mutsuyo Takayama-Ito, Takashi Komeno, Nozomi Nakajima, Yousuke Furuta, Akihiko Uda, Shigeru Morikawa and Masayuki Saijo
Viruses 2022, 14(8), 1668; https://doi.org/10.3390/v14081668 - 28 Jul 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1943
Abstract
Heartland bandavirus (HRTV) is an emerging tick-borne virus that is distributed in the United States and that causes febrile illness with thrombocytopenia and leukocytopenia. It is genetically close to Dabie bandavirus, which is well known as severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) virus [...] Read more.
Heartland bandavirus (HRTV) is an emerging tick-borne virus that is distributed in the United States and that causes febrile illness with thrombocytopenia and leukocytopenia. It is genetically close to Dabie bandavirus, which is well known as severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) virus (SFTSV). The mortality rate of human HRTV infection is approximately 10%; however, neither approved anti-HRTV agents nor vaccines exist. An appropriate animal model should be developed to evaluate the efficacy of antiviral agents and vaccines against HRTV. The susceptibility of IFNAR−/− mice with HRTV infection was evaluated using subcutaneous, intraperitoneal, and retro-orbital inoculation routes. IFNAR−/− mice intraperitoneally infected with HRTV showed the most severe clinical signs, and the 50% lethal dose was 3.2 × 106 TCID50. Furthermore, to evaluate the utility of a novel lethal IFNAR−/− mice model, IFNAR−/− mice were orally administered favipiravir, ribavirin, or a solvent for 5 days immediately after a lethal dose of HRTV inoculation. The survival rates of the favipiravir-, ribavirin-, and solvent-administered mice were 100, 33, and 0%, respectively. The changes in bodyweights and HRTV RNA loads in the blood of favipiravir-treated IFNAR−/− mice were the lowest among the three groups, which suggests that favipiravir is a promising drug candidate for the treatment of patients with HRTV infection. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus 2022)
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13 pages, 1881 KiB  
Article
Neutralizing mAbs against SFTS Virus Gn Protein Show Strong Therapeutic Effects in an SFTS Animal Model
by Masayuki Shimojima, Satoko Sugimoto, Kunihiko Umekita, Taishi Onodera, Kaori Sano, Hideki Tani, Yuki Takamatsu, Tomoki Yoshikawa, Takeshi Kurosu, Tadaki Suzuki, Yoshimasa Takahashi, Hideki Ebihara and Masayuki Saijo
Viruses 2022, 14(8), 1665; https://doi.org/10.3390/v14081665 - 28 Jul 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2314
Abstract
Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an infectious disease with a high case fatality rate caused by the SFTS virus, and currently there are no approved specific treatments. Neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against the virus could be a therapeutic agent in SFTS [...] Read more.
Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an infectious disease with a high case fatality rate caused by the SFTS virus, and currently there are no approved specific treatments. Neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against the virus could be a therapeutic agent in SFTS treatment, but their development has not sufficiently been carried out. In the present study, mouse and human mAbs exposed to the viral envelope proteins Gn and Gc (16 clones each) were characterized in vitro and in vivo by using recombinant proteins, cell culture with viruses, and an SFTS animal model with IFNAR-/- mice. Neutralization activities against the recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus bearing SFTS virus Gn/Gc as envelope proteins were observed with three anti-Gn and six anti-Gc mAbs. Therapeutic activities were observed among anti-Gn, but not anti-Gc mAbs with neutralizing activities. These results propose an effective strategy to obtain promising therapeutic mAb candidates for SFTS treatment, and a necessity to reveal precise roles of the SFTS virus Gn/Gc proteins. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus 2022)
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7 pages, 806 KiB  
Communication
Development of a Scoring System to Differentiate Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome from Scrub Typhus
by Hyoung Sul, Na Ra Yun, Dong-Min Kim, Young Keun Kim, Jieun Kim, Jian Hur, Sook In Jung, Seong Yeol Ryu, Ji Yeon Lee, Kyungmin Huh, Yee Gyung Kwak, Hye Won Jeong, Jung Yeon Heo, Dong Sik Jung, Sun Hee Lee, Sun Hee Park, Joon-Sup Yeom and Hyungdon Lee
Viruses 2022, 14(5), 1093; https://doi.org/10.3390/v14051093 - 19 May 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1707
Abstract
Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) and scrub typhus are disorders with similar clinical features; therefore, differentiating between them is difficult. We retrospectively collected data from 183 SFTS and 178 scrub typhus patients and validated an existing scoring system to develop a more [...] Read more.
Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) and scrub typhus are disorders with similar clinical features; therefore, differentiating between them is difficult. We retrospectively collected data from 183 SFTS and 178 scrub typhus patients and validated an existing scoring system to develop a more sensitive, specific, and objective scoring system. We first applied the scoring systems proposed by Kim et al. to differentiate SFTS from scrub typhus. Multivariable logistic regression revealed that altered mental status, leukopenia, prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), and normal C-reactive protein (CRP) level (≤1.0 mg/dL) were significantly associated with SFTS. We changed the normal CRP level from ≤1.0 mg/dL to ≤3.0 mg/dL and replaced altered mental status with the creatine kinase (CK) level. The modified scoring system showed 97% sensitivity and 96% specificity for SFTS (area under the curve (AUC): 0.983) and a higher accuracy than the original scoring system (p = 0.0308). This study’s scoring system had 97% sensitivity and 98% specificity for SFTS (AUC: 0.992) and a higher accuracy than Kim et al.’s original scoring system (p = 0.0308). Our scoring system that incorporated leukopenia, prolonged aPTT, normal CRP level (≤3.0 mg/dL), and elevated CK level (>1000 IU/L) easily differentiated SFTS from scrub typhus in an endemic area. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus 2022)
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11 pages, 1199 KiB  
Article
Viral Load as a Factor Affecting the Fatality of Patients Suffering from Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome
by Heyon-Na Jo, Jieun Kim, Seong-Yeon Hwang, Jun-Won Seo, Da Young Kim, Na-Ra Yun, Dong-Min Kim, Choon-Mee Kim, Sook In Jung, Uh Jin Kim, Seong Eun Kim, Hyunah Kim, Eu Suk Kim, Jian Hur, Young Keun Kim, Hye Won Jeong, Jung Yeon Heo, Dong Sik Jung, Hyungdon Lee, Sun Hee Park, Yee Gyung Kwak, Sujin Lee and Seungjin Limadd Show full author list remove Hide full author list
Viruses 2022, 14(5), 881; https://doi.org/10.3390/v14050881 - 23 Apr 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1906
Abstract
The clinical characteristics and the effect of viral RNA loads on fatality in 56 patients with severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) were analyzed. The non-survival group (12 patients) demonstrated a significantly higher mean age (77 years) than the survival group (44 patients, [...] Read more.
The clinical characteristics and the effect of viral RNA loads on fatality in 56 patients with severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) were analyzed. The non-survival group (12 patients) demonstrated a significantly higher mean age (77 years) than the survival group (44 patients, 65 years) (p = 0.003). The survival rates were 91.7% and 8.3% in patients with Ct values ≥30 and differed significantly (p = 0.001) in the survival and non-survival groups, respectively. The survival rates were 52.4% and 47.6% in patients with viral copy numbers ≥10,000 and 94.3% and 5.7% in patients with viral copy numbers <10,000 in the survival and non-survival groups, respectively (p = 0.001). In a multivariate analysis, viral copy numbers and initial Acute Psychologic Assessment and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) scores were identified as the factors affecting fatality (p = 0.015 and 0.011, respectively). SFTS viral RNA loads can be useful markers for the clinical prediction of mortality and survival. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus 2022)
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4 pages, 183 KiB  
Case Report
Suspected Transmission of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus from a Cat to a Veterinarian by a Single Contact: A Case Report
by Atsushi Miyauchi, Ken-Ei Sada, Hirotaka Yamamoto, Hiroki Iriyoshi, Yuji Touyama, Daisuke Hashimoto, Shigeru Nojima, Shingo Yamanaka, Keita Ishijima, Ken Maeda and Masafumi Kawamura
Viruses 2022, 14(2), 223; https://doi.org/10.3390/v14020223 - 24 Jan 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2435
Abstract
A 67-year-old male veterinarian presented with fatigue, anorexia, and diarrhea. Although there were no tick bite marks, we suspected severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) due to bicytopenia, mild disturbance of consciousness, and a history of outdoor activities. Thus, we started immunoglobulin therapy [...] Read more.
A 67-year-old male veterinarian presented with fatigue, anorexia, and diarrhea. Although there were no tick bite marks, we suspected severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) due to bicytopenia, mild disturbance of consciousness, and a history of outdoor activities. Thus, we started immunoglobulin therapy immediately. A serum reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test for SFTS virus (SFTSV) was positive. The patient had treated a cat with thrombocytopenia 10 days prior to admission. The cat’s serum SFTSV RT-PCR test result was positive, and the whole genome sequences of the patient’s and cat’s SFTSV were identical, suggesting the possibility of transmission from the cat to the patient. Other cases of direct cat-to-human SFTV transmission have been reported recently. Mucous membranes should be protected, including eye protection, in addition to standard precautions, when in contact with any cat with suspected SFTS. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus 2022)
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