title: Current status of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome in China.
abstract: Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging infectious disease caused by SFTS virus (SFTSV). SFTSV is associated with a high mortality rate and has been reported in China, South Korea and Japan. SFTSV undergoes rapid changes owing to evolution, gene mutations, and reassortment between different strains of SFTSV. In this review, we summarize the recent cases and general properties of SFTS, focusing on the epidemiology, genetic diversity, clinical features, and diagnostics of SFTSV in China. From 2010 to October 2016, SFTS cases were reported in 23 provinces of China, with increased numbers yearly. Infection and death cases are mainly found in central China, where the Haemaphysalis longicornis ticks are spread. The national average mortality rate of SFTS infection was 5.3%, with higher risk to elder people. The main epidemic period was from May to July, with a peak in May. Thus, SFTS reminds a significant public health problem, and development of prophylactic vaccines and effective antiviral drugs will be highly needed.
authors.affiliation: Wuhan University School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China.|Hubei Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuhan, 430079, China.
authors.forename: Jianbo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhan
authors.affiliation: Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, 102206, China.
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430081, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Hubei Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuhan, 430079, China.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Hubei Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuhan, 430079, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Hubei Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuhan, 430079, China. zhanfx@163.com.
authors.forename: Faxian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhan
authors.affiliation: Hubei Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuhan, 430079, China. hbcdc_songyi@163.com.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Wuhan University School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China. dguo@whu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Deyin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002044:Bunyaviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000254:growth & development; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000254:growth & development / Q000821:virology; D016856:Phlebovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016019:Survival Analysis
keywords: Bunyaviridae; severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS); severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV)