title: Prevalence of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus in Haemaphysalis longicornis ticks in South Korea.
abstract: Haemaphysalis longicornis a vector that harbors severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) is a major species of tick in South Korea. To investigate the existence and prevalence of SFTSV in Korea, we collected ticks from nine provinces in South Korea for detecting SFTSV. In all, we collected 13,053 ticks, and H. longicornis (90.8%, 11,856/13,053) was the most abundant among them. The minimum infection rate (MIR) of SFTSV in H. longicornis was 0.46% (55 pools). SFTSV was detected in ticks during all the developmental stages, showing MIR in larvae (2/350, 0.57%), nymphs (38/10,436, 0.36%), males (2/221, 0.90%), and females (13/849, 1.53%), respectively. Viruses were detected in ticks collected between April and September. A higher MIR was detected in ticks from the southern part of the country. We amplified the M and S segment partial genes from a sample and analyzed the nucleotide sequence. The results showed a 93-98% homology to Chinese and Japanese strains registered in Genbank. In this study, we confirmed the existence of SFTSV for the first time in South Korea. The SFTSV prevalence data from the studies are essential for raising the awareness of SFTS in South Korea.
authors.affiliation: Division of Arboviruses, Center for Immunology & Pathology, National Institute of Health, Korea Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sun-Whan
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Entomology, Center for Immunology & Pathology, National Institute of Health, Korea Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Bong Gu
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Entomology, Center for Immunology & Pathology, National Institute of Health, Korea Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: E-Hyun
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Division of Arboviruses, Center for Immunology & Pathology, National Institute of Health, Korea Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seok-Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.affiliation: Division of Arboviruses, Center for Immunology & Pathology, National Institute of Health, Korea Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Myung-Guk
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Entomology, Center for Immunology & Pathology, National Institute of Health, Korea Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Mi Yeoun
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Division of Arboviruses, Center for Immunology & Pathology, National Institute of Health, Korea Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Chan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Division of Arboviruses, Center for Immunology & Pathology, National Institute of Health, Korea Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: zenith@nih.go.kr.
authors.forename: Jungsang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ryou
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005843:Geography; D006801:Humans; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D010217:Phlebotomus Fever / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D016856:Phlebovirus / Q000502:physiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology
keywords: Bunyaviridae; Haemaphysalis longicornis; Prevalence; SFTS; South Korea; Tick