title: Detection of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus from Wild Animals and Ixodidae Ticks in the Republic of Korea.
abstract: Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is caused by SFTS virus (SFTSV), a novel bunyavirus reported to be endemic to central-northeastern China, southern Japan, and the Republic of Korea (ROK). To investigate SFTSV infections, we collected serum samples and ticks from wild animals. Using serum samples and ticks, SFTSV-specific genes were amplified by one-step RT-PCR and nested PCR and sequenced. Indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) was performed to analyze virus-specific antibody levels in wild animals. Serum samples were collected from a total of 91 animals: 21 Korean water deer (KWD), 3 Siberian roe deer, 5 gorals, 7 raccoon dogs, 54 wild boars (WBs), and 1 carrion crow. The SFTSV infection rate in wild animals was 3.30% (3 of 91 animals: 1 KWD and 2 WBs). The seropositive rate was 6.59% (6 of 91 animals: 5 KWD and 1 WB). A total of 891 ticks (3 species) were collected from 65 wild animals (9 species). Of the attached tick species, Haemaphysalis longicornis (74.86%) was the most abundant, followed by Haemaphysalis flava (20.20%) and Ixodes nipponensis (4.94%). The average minimum infection rate (MIR) of SFTSV in ticks was 4.98%. The MIRs of H. longicornis, H. flava, and I. nipponensis were 4.51%, 2.22%, and 22.73%, respectively. The MIRs of larvae, nymphs, and adult ticks were 0.68%, 6.88%, and 5.53%, respectively. In addition, the MIRs of fed and unfed ticks were 4.67% and 4.96%, respectively. We detected a low SFTSV infection rate in wild animals, no differences in SFTSV infection rate with respect to bloodsucking in ticks, and SFTSV infection for all developmental stages of ticks. This is the first report describing the detection of SFTSV in wild animals in the ROK.
authors.affiliation: 1 Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science and College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University , Seoul, Republic of Korea.|2 Incheon Metropolitan City Institute of Health and Environment , Incheon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sung-Suck
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: 1 Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science and College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University , Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong-Byoung
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Chae
authors.affiliation: 1 Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science and College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University , Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jun-Gu
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: 3 5th Medical Detachment , 168th Multifunctional Medical Battalion, 65th Medical Brigade, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Heung-Chul
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: 3 5th Medical Detachment , 168th Multifunctional Medical Battalion, 65th Medical Brigade, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sung-Tae
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Chong
authors.affiliation: 4 National Institute of Environmental Research , Incheon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong-Hwa
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: 4 National Institute of Environmental Research , Incheon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Moon-Suk
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Hur
authors.affiliation: 4 National Institute of Environmental Research , Incheon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Hwa
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.affiliation: 5 Seoul National University College of Medicine , Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Myoung-Don
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: 6 Biological Diversity Division , Nature Conservation Bureau, Ministry of Environment, Sejong, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Soo-Myoung
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: 7 Laboratory of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University , Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Nam-Shik
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: 8 Department of Animal Biotechnology, Kyungpook National University , Sangju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kyoung-Seong
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: 1 Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science and College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University , Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Joon-Seok
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Chae
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D002044:Bunyaviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D046368:Crows; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000821:virology*; D008322:Mammals; D016856:Phlebovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010802:Phylogeny; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D017282:Tick-Borne Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary / Q000821:virology
keywords: Indirect immunofluorescence assay; Nested PCR; One-step RT-PCR; Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus; Ticks; Wild animal