Seroprevalence and risk factors of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome

Abstract

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is caused by SFTS virus (SFTSV). This phlebovirus was first reported to cause this disease in 2011 in China. Since its identification, serological surveys of the healthy human population and domesticated and wild animals in China, Japan, and South Korea have been conducted. This literature review shows that the SFTSV seroprevalence in healthy people ranges from 0% to 10.5% and depends on age, occupation, living area, and tick-bite history. High rates of antibody positivity have been detected in many domesticated and wild animals. Thus, these animals may act as amplifying hosts of the virus. The implications and challenges facing the seroepidemiology of this novel bunyavirus are discussed.