Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome: a newly discovered emerging infectious disease

Abstract

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is a newly discovered emerging infectious disease that has recently become epidemic in Asia. The causative agent of SFTS is a novel phlebovirus in the family Bunyaviridae, designated SFTS virus (SFTSV). SFTS clinically presents with high fever, thrombocytopenia, leukocytopenia, gastrointestinal disorders, and multi-organ dysfunction, with a high viral load and a high case-fatality rate. In human infection, SFTSV targets microphages, replicates in the spleen of infected mice, and causes thrombocytopenia and a cytokine storm. The tick disseminates virus to humans and animals, forming a special transmission model in nature. Person-to-person transmission though direct contact with patient blood has been frequently reported. Measurements of viral RNA and antibodies have been established for diagnosis, but vaccines and specific therapeutics are not available so far.

Presence of Antibodies against Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus in Non-Endemic Areas of China

“…We found that participants in all age groups had SFTSV-IgG antibodies in their sera. We inferred that the population was exposed to SFTSV and was susceptible to SFTSV (1). Furthermore, the seropositivity rate increased with age for all participants and tea pluckers.…”

“…SFTSV was thought to be mainly transmitted by ticks, based on evidence from tick exposure history, SFTSV detection, and sequence analysis (1,2). SFTS was first reported in 2009 in China (3); by 2013, more than 1,700 laboratory-confirmed cases had been reported in 14 provinces, with a fatality rate of 7-15% (4).…”

Seroprevalence of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus in China: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is a notifiable infectious disease characterized by fever, weakness, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, gastrointestinal symptoms, and central nervous system manifestations [1–3]. The causative agent of SFTS is a novel member of the Phlebovirus in the family Bunyaviridae, SFTS virus (SFTSV), which was first isolated from human beings in rural areas of central China by Yu et al in 2009 [1].…”

Score risk model for predicting severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome mortality

“…The national surveillance data from 2010 to 2013 in China showed that the incidence of SFTS and its epidemic areas are growing, but the case fatality rate (CFR) has steadily declined [1]. The major clinical symptoms of SFTS include fever, thrombocytopenia, leukocytopenia, gastrointestinal symptoms and various other systemic manifestations including muscular symptoms, neurological disorders and coagulopathy [2, 3]. Neurological symptoms were strongly associated with death, even though they occurred during the first week after disease onset [4].…”