The first human infection with severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus in Shaanxi Province, China.
BACKGROUND
Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging infectious disease discovered in China in 2009. In July 2013, the first human infection with SFTS virus (SFTSV) was detected in Shaanxi Province, Western China.


METHODS
A seroprevalence study among humans was carried out in an SFTS endemic village; specifically, serum samples were collected from 363 farmers in an SFTS endemic village in Shaanxi Province. The presence of SFTSV antibodies in serum was determined using an ELISA.


RESULTS
SFTSV antibodies were found in a total of 20 people (5.51%), with no significant difference between males and females (6.93% and 4.42%, respectively; Chi-square=1.29, p=0.25). Moreover, the SFTSV antibody positive rate was not significantly different across different age groups (Chi-square=2.23, p=0.69).


CONCLUSIONS
SFTSV readily infects humans with outdoor exposure. The results of the serological study indicate that the virus circulates widely in Shaanxi Province. SFTSV represents a public health threat in China.
Shaanxi Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710054, China.
Jing
J
Wei
Shaanxi Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710054, China.
Shen
S
Li
Shaanxi Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710054, China.
Jian-Hua
JH
Dong
Baoji Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Baoji, Shaanxi, China.
Hui
H
Tian
School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Gerardo
G
Chowell
State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science, College of Global Change and Earth System Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
Huai-Yu
HY
Tian
Shaanxi Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710054, China.
Wen
W
Lv
Long County Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Shaanxi Province, Baoji, Shaanxi, China.
Zong-Qi
ZQ
Han
State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science, College of Global Change and Earth System Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modeling, Center for Earth System Science, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
Bing
B
Xu
Shaanxi Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710054, China. Electronic address: sxcdcy@21cn.com.
Peng-Bo
PB
Yu
Shaanxi Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710054, China. Electronic address: jingjunwang@china.com.
Jing-Jun
JJ
Wang
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002044:Bunyaviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016856:Phlebovirus; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013577:Syndrome; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
Bunyaviridae; Epidemiological characteristic; Prevalence; Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome