Abstract
With global warming and lush forest change, vector-borne infections are expected to increase in the number and diversity of agents. Since the first report of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) in 2013, the number of reported cases has increased annually in South Korea. However, although tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) was detected from ticks and wild rodents, there is no human TBE case report in South Korea. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of TBEV and SFTS virus (SFTSV) among forest and field workers in South Korea. From January 2017 to August 2018, a total 583 sera were obtained from the forest and field workers in South Korea. IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and neutralization assay were conducted for TBEV, and indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and neutralization assay were performed for SFTSV. Seroprevalence of TBEV was 0.9% (5/583) by IgG ELISA, and 0.3% (2/583) by neutralization assay. Neutralizing antibody against TBEV was detected in a forest worker in Jeju (1:113) and Hongcheon (1:10). Only 1 (0.2%) forest worker in Yeongju was seropositive for SFTSV by IFA (1:2,048) and neutralizing antibody was detected also. In conclusion, this study shows that it is necessary to raise the awareness of physicians about TBEV infection and to make efforts to survey and diagnose vector-borne diseases in South Korea.
Highlights
IntroductionIn South Korea, several new tick-borne infectious diseases have been identified since the 2000s, including severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS), anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, and bartonellosis [1,2,3,4]
This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) and severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) virus (SFTSV) among forest and field workers in South Korea
This study shows that it is necessary to raise the awareness of physicians about TBEV infection and to make efforts to survey and diagnose vector-borne diseases in South Korea
Summary
In South Korea, several new tick-borne infectious diseases have been identified since the 2000s, including severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS), anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, and bartonellosis [1,2,3,4]. In neighboring mainland China, more than 30 emerging tick-associated infectious agents have been reported to cause human infection [5]. Similar to SFTS, some vector-borne diseases might be missed without clinical suspicion. Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) has been an important causative agent of viral infection of the central nervous system in Europe, Russia, northern China and Japan [6]. In South Korea, TBEV was detected from ticks and wild rodents, no human cases of TBE have been reported so far [7]
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