title: Risk Factors for Bunyavirus-Associated Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome: A Community-Based Case-Control Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging infectious disease caused by a novel bunyavirus. Previous studies about risk factors for SFTSV infection have yielded inconsistent results, and behavior factors have not been fully clarified.
  
  
  METHODS
  A community-based, 1:4 matched case-control study was carried out to investigate the risk factors for SFTS in China. Cases of SFTS were defined as laboratory-confirmed cases that tested positive for real-time PCR (RT-PCR) for severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome bunyavirus (SFTSV) or positive for IgM antibodies against SFTSV. Controls of four neighborhood subjects were selected by matching for sex, age, and occupation. Standardized questionnaires were used to collect detailed information about their demographics and risk factors for SFTSV infection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 334 subjects participated in the study including 69 cases and 265 controls. The median age of the cases was 59.5 years, 55.1% were male, and 87.0% were farmers. No differences in demographics were observed between cases and controls. In the final multivariate analysis, tick bites two weeks prior to disease onset (OR = 8.04, 95%CI 3.34-19.37) and the presence of weeds and shrubs around the house (OR = 3.46, 95%CI 0.96-12.46) were found to be risk factors for SFTSV infection; taking preventative measures during outdoor activities (OR = 0.12, 95%CI 0.01-1.01) provided greater protection from SFTSV infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results further confirm that SFTSV is transmitted by tick bites and prove that preventative measures that reduce exposure to ticks can prevent SFTSV infection. More efforts should be directed toward health education and behavior change for high-risk populations, especially outdoor workers, in SFTS endemic areas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Acute Infectious Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Jian-Li
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Acute Infectious Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.|Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Feng
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Acute Infectious Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Chen
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Acute Infectious Disease Control and Prevention, Nanjing Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Department of Disease Control and Prevention, Gulou District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Acute Infectious Disease Control and Prevention, Chuzhou Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chuzhou, Anhui Province, China.
authors.forename: Wei-Guo
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Acute Infectious Disease Control and Prevention, Lishui District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Lu-Xun
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Acute Infectious Disease Control and Prevention, Lishui District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Ai-Hua
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Department of Acute Infectious Disease Control and Prevention, Xuyi County Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Huai'an, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Xue-Jian
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Acute Infectious Disease Control and Prevention, Xuyi County Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Huai'an, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Shou-Guo
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Department of Acute Infectious Disease Control and Prevention, Yixing County Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Jian-Gang
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Acute Infectious Disease Control and Prevention, Yixing County Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Wen-Wen
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Department of Acute Infectious Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Wei-Zhong
authors.initials: WZ
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Acute Infectious Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Fen-Yang
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Department of Acute Infectious Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Feng-Cai
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Acute Infectious Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Chang-Jun
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Bao
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D002044:Bunyaviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010217:Phlebotomus Fever / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D016856:Phlebovirus / Q000472:pathogenicity; D012307:Risk Factors; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D064927:Tick Bites / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D013987:Ticks / Q000821:virology