Laboratory-based diagnosis of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome in Korea from 2017 to 2018

Wang EunByeol, Lee Hyeokjin, Choi Wooyoung, Kang Chun
Division of Viral Diseases, Center for Laboratory Control of Infectious Disease, KCDC

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is a tick-borne zoonotic disease, caused by Haemaphysalis longicornis and human-to-human transmission is also possible in contact with the body fluids with SFTS patients. The main manifestations include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, thrombocytopenia, and leukopenia. To investigate the characterization of SFTS virus (SFTSV) in Korea, clinical specimens from suspected SFTS patients from 2017 to 2018 were examined using real-time RT-PCR (reverse tranion polymerase chain reaction) and/or conventional RT-PCR and analyzing the partial genome sequences of the M segment of 161 Korean SFTSV samples. We found that four different genotypes of the SFTSV were co-circulating in Korea, based on these data from 2017 to 2018. Our study suggests that continuous monitoring of the genetic diversity of SFTSV in Korea is important for effective prevention and control strategies against SFTS.

Keywords: Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome, SFTS virus, Genotype, Phenuiviridae Infections, Zoonoses