Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus in Ticks and SFTS Incidence in Humans, South Korea

Yoo, Jeong Rae; Heo, Sang Taek; Song, Sung Wook; Bae, Seung Geon; Lee, Seul; Choi, Sangjoon; Lee, Chaehyun; Jeong, Sugyeong; Kim, Myeongseop; Sa, Woojin; Lee, Yeongrim; Choi, Haseon; Kee, Sun-Ho; Lee, Keun Hwa

doi:10.3201/eid2609.200065

Cited by 26 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 7 publications

(10 reference statements)

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“…For the above reasons, most routes of human infection occur after the inhalation of aerosols containing C. burnetii from infected animals and their products. Individuals with Q fever can develop the disease without animal contact because transmission to humans is influenced by geographical factors such as the subtropical climate, the specific natural environment, and the heavy wind on Jeju Island [ 23 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Physicians may not consider Q fever in the differential diagnosis in patients with acute febrile illness because the symptoms and signs of Q fever are nonspecific; acute fever is common due to severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (in the spring and the summer) and scrub typhus (in the autumn) in individuals who participate in outdoor activity [ 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ], and most infected individuals have no history of animal contact or occupational exposure [ 27 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Seroreactivity to Coxiella burnetii in an Agricultural Population and Prevalence of Coxiella burnetii Infection in Ticks of a Non-Endemic Region for Q Fever in South Korea

et al. 2021

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Coxiella burnetii infects humans and wild and domesticated animals. Although reported cases on Jeju Island, off the coast of South Korea, are rare, the region is considered to have a high potential for Q fever. We investigated the seroprevalence of antibodies to C. burnetii in 230 farmers living in ten rural areas on Jeju Island between January 2015 and December 2019. Blood samples were collected and examined for C. burnetii Phase I/II IgM and IgG antibodies. Trained researchers collected ticks from rural areas. Clone XCP-1 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing was performed to identify Coxiella species from the collected ticks. The overall seroprevalence of antibodies to C. burnetii in farmers was 35.7%. The seroprevalence was significantly higher in fruit farmers. Of the collected ticks, 5.4% (19/351) of the Haemaphysalis longicornis ticks harbored C. burnetti. A high seroprevalence of antibodies to C. burnetii was observed in this region of Jeju Island, confirming that C. burnetti is endemic. Physicians should thus consider Q fever in the differential diagnosis of patients that present with acute fever after participating in outdoor activities.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seroreactivity to Coxiella burnetii in an Agricultural Population and Prevalence of Coxiella burnetii Infection in Ticks of a Non-Endemic Region for Q Fever in South Korea

et al. 2021

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“…Data from the Korean Center for Disease Control and Prevention for 2013-2018 suggested that SFTS infections on Jeju Island occurred mainly during the spring and summer seasons; this is in contrast to some of the other regions, for example, the Kangwon-do and Gyeongbuk regions, where the incidence of SFTS is high during the summer and autumn seasons [9]. On Jeju Island during 2013-2019, the number of infected ticks tended to surge in April, while the number of new SFTS cases tended to increase sharply during May [18] (Figure 3). Compared to the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Island maintains a temperature > 20 °C during May to October.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Compared to the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Island maintains a temperature > 20 °C during May to October. Overall, due to its climate, Jeju Island is characterized by a higher growth rate of SFTSV-infected ticks that starts in the spring and yields a tick population greater than that found in other regions [ 18 ]. In addition, Jeju Island has a large agricultural population, which means the risk of exposure to ticks is relatively high, driving up the incidence of SFTS.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prognostic Factors of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome in South Korea

Kim

Heo

et al. 2020

Viruses

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Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS), a tick-borne infectious disease, is difficult to differentiate from other common febrile diseases. Clinically distinctive features and climate variates associated with tick growth can be useful predictors for SFTS. This retrospective study (2013–2019) demonstrated the role of climatic factors as predictors of SFTS and developed a clinical scoring system for SFTS using climate variables and clinical characteristics. The presence of the SFTS virus was confirmed using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests. In the univariate analysis, the SFTS-positive group was significantly associated with higher mean ambient temperature and humidity compared with the SFTS-negative group (22.5 °C vs. 18.9 °C; 77.9% vs. 70.7%, all p < 0.001). In the multivariate analysis, poor oral intake (Odds ratio [OR] 5.87, 95% CI: 2.42–8.25), lymphadenopathy (OR 7.20, 95% CI: 6.24–11.76), mean ambient temperature ≥ 20 °C (OR 4.62, 95% CI: 1.46–10.28), absolute neutrophil count ≤ 2000 cells/μL (OR 8.95, 95% CI: 2.30–21.25), C-reactive protein level ≤ 1.2 mg/dL (OR 6.42, 95% CI: 4.02–24.21), and creatinine kinase level ≥ 200 IU/L (OR 5.94, 95% CI: 1.42–24.92) were significantly associated with the SFTS-positive group. This study presents the risk factors, including ambient temperature and clinical characteristics, that physicians should consider when suspecting SFTS.

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“…SFTSV can be transmitted by various tick species, including H. longicornis, A. testudinarium , I. nipponensis , and R. microplus [ 1 , 28 , 29 ]. The principal SFTS vector, Haemaphysalis longicornis , is primarily distributed in temperate regions and inhabits South Korea, Japan, China, Far East Russia, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, New Caledonia, and Hawaii [ 30 ].…”

Section: Sftsv Epidemiology and Transmissionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Clinical Update of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome

Seo

Kim

Yun

et al. 2021

Viruses

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Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an acute febrile illness characterized by fever, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting resulting from infection with the SFTS virus (SFTSV). The SFTSV is transmitted to humans by tick bites, primarily from Haemaphysalis longicornis, Amblyomma testudinarium, Ixodes nipponensis, and Rhipicephalus microplus. Human-to-human transmission has also been reported. Since the first report of an SFTS patient in China, the number of patients has also been increasing. The mortality rate of patients with SFTS remains high because the disease can quickly lead to death through multiple organ failure. In particular, an average fatality rate of approximately 20% has been reported for SFTS patients, and no treatment strategy has been established. Therefore, effective antiviral agents and vaccines are required. Here, we aim to review the epidemiology, clinical manifestations, laboratory diagnosis, and various specific treatments (i.e., antiviral agents, steroids, intravenous immunoglobulin, and plasma exchange) that have been tested to help to cope with the disease.

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Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus in Ticks and SFTS Incidence in Humans, South Korea

Cited by 26 publications

References 7 publications

Seroreactivity to Coxiella burnetii in an Agricultural Population and Prevalence of Coxiella burnetii Infection in Ticks of a Non-Endemic Region for Q Fever in South Korea

Seroreactivity to Coxiella burnetii in an Agricultural Population and Prevalence of Coxiella burnetii Infection in Ticks of a Non-Endemic Region for Q Fever in South Korea

Prognostic Factors of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome in South Korea

Clinical Update of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome

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