SFTS

SFTS is a viral zoonotic syndrome associated with infection by SFTS virus (SFTSV), which is described in the source material as a novel phlebovirus within the Bunyaviridae family ^[1]. It is characterized in the literature as an emerging haemorrhagic fever and acute febrile illness ^[1][3]. The available sources do not provide source-backed detail on incubation period, reservoir species beyond tick-associated ecology, or the full virologic classification beyond the family and phlebovirus designation ^[1][2].

The clinical picture described in the source material is an acute febrile illness with fever, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and gastrointestinal symptoms including diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting ^[3]. The disease is also described as a haemorrhagic fever and as having the potential to progress rapidly to death through multiple organ failure ^[1][3]. One review notes an average case-fatality rate of about 20% in patients, while another cites an average case-fatality rate of 7.3% across reported cases in China; a later review states that fatality can reach up to 27% ^[1][2][3]. Source-backed detail on the full symptom spectrum, duration, or convalescent course is not yet available ^[3].

SFTS was first described in rural areas of China and, since the first report in 2010, had been found in 11 provinces with about 2,500 reported cases in one review ^[1]. The disease was also reported in Japan and Korea in 2012, and later literature describes endemic infection in East Asia and a broader public-health concern ^[1][2]. One source notes that the vector tick has recently spread to more than 20 states in the United States, but the sources do not provide case counts from those settings ^[2]. Source-backed detail on seasonal pattern, age-specific incidence, or occupational clustering is not yet available ^[1][2].

The disease is transmitted to humans primarily by tick bites, and the source material identifies Haemaphysalis longicornis, Amblyomma testudinarium, Ixodes nipponensis, and Rhipicephalus microplus among the ticks implicated in human infection ^[3]. Human-to-human transmission has also been reported ^[3]. The available sources additionally describe the virus as an emerging tick-borne zoonosis and note that the virus may evolve in tick vectors and vertebrate reservoir hosts, but they do not specify the frequency or circumstances of person-to-person spread ^[1][3].

The source material does not provide a definitive list of risk groups. One review explicitly notes age-dependent pathogenesis and disease outcome and states that vaccine development should safeguard the elderly population from lethal infection, which suggests older adults may be of special concern ^[2]. Beyond this, source-backed detail on occupational, behavioral, or comorbidity-related risk groups is not yet available ^[2].

The clearest prevention measure stated in the source material is avoiding tick bites to prevent infection and transmission of SFTSV ^[1]. One review also notes that there is currently no targeted antiviral therapy or licensed vaccine against SFTSV ^[2]. Source-backed detail on personal protective measures, environmental control, post-exposure management, or vaccination schedules is not yet available ^[1][2].

In surveillance terms, SFTS should be read as an emerging tick-borne haemorrhagic fever with documented geographic expansion and nontrivial fatality ^[1][2]. The literature emphasizes increasing case recognition in China and reports from other East Asian settings, which makes geographic signal and tick exposure history important context for interpretation ^[1][3]. Because human-to-human transmission has been reported and the virus may evolve in tick and reservoir-host systems, surveillance should treat both exposure ecology and unusual clusters as relevant signals ^[1][3].

1. 1 Liu Q et al. Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome, an emerging tick-borne zoonosis. Lancet Infect Dis. 2014 Aug. PMID: 24837566. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(14)70718-2. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24837566/
2. 2 Kim D et al. Current Progress of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus (SFTSV) Vaccine Development. Viruses. 2024 Jan 16. PMID: 38257828. doi: 10.3390/v16010128. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38257828/
3. 3 Seo JW et al. Clinical Update of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome. Viruses. 2021 Jun 23. PMID: 34201811. doi: 10.3390/v13071213. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34201811/
4. 4 Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) and SFTS virus. Uirusu. 2015. doi: 10.2222/jsv.65.7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2222/jsv.65.7
5. 5 Clinical Aspects of SFTS. Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome. 2019. doi: 10.1007/978-981-13-9562-8_11. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-9562-8_11
6. 6 A Case of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Complicated with Intracranial and Pulmonary Aspergillosis (发热伴血小板减少综合征合并颅内肺曲霉菌病一例). Scholarly DOI record. 2025. doi: 10.2139/ssrn.5201536. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5201536

ICD-10

A98.8

ICD-11

1D6Y

Total cases

7K

Total deaths

58

Peak month

2026-05

Coverage

3 reporting countries · 2026-01-01 → 2026-06-01