Abstract
Significant progress has been made on the molecular biology of the severe fever with thrombopenia virus (SFTSV); however, many parts of the pathophysiological mechanisms of mortality in SFTS remain unclear. In this study, we investigated virologic and immunologic factors for fatal outcomes of patients with SFTS. We prospectively enrolled SFTS patients admitted from July 2015 to October 2020. Plasma samples were subjected to SFTSV RNA RT-PCR, multiplex microbead immunoassay for 17 cytokines, and IFA assay. A total of 44 SFTS patients were enrolled, including 37 (84.1%) survivors and 7 (15.9%) non-survivors. Non-survivors had a 2.5 times higher plasma SFTSV load than survivors at admission (p < 0.001), and the viral load in non-survivors increased progressively during hospitalization. In addition, non-survivors did not develop adequate anti-SFTSV IgG, whereas survivors exhibited anti-SFTSV IgG during hospitalization. IFN-α, IL-10, IP-10, IFN-γ, IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1, MIP-1α, and G-CSF were significantly elevated in non-survivors compared to survivors and did not revert to normal ranges during hospitalization (p < 0.05). Severe signs of inflammation such as a high plasma concentration of IFN-α, IL-10, IP-10, IFN-γ, IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1, MIP-1α, and G-CSF, poor viral control, and inadequate antibody response during the disease course were associated with mortality in SFTS patients.
Highlights
Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging tick-borne disease in East Asia, primarily in China, Korea, and Japan
The disease is characterized by thrombocytopenia and leukopenia following the onset of fever, as well as respiratory or gastrointestinal symptoms, and multiple organ failure can develop in severe cases
SFTS virus (SFTSV) infection was confirmed by detection of viral RNA with real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)
Summary
Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging tick-borne disease in East Asia, primarily in China, Korea, and Japan. SFTS virus (SFTSV), renamed Dabie bandavirus, has been identified as the causative agent. This virus is a novel phlebovirus of the family Phenuiviridae, order Bunyavirales, and is usually transmitted by a tick such as Haemaphysalis longicornis [1]. The disease is characterized by thrombocytopenia and leukopenia following the onset of fever, as well as respiratory or gastrointestinal symptoms, and multiple organ failure can develop in severe cases. The incidence of SFTS has increased in China, Japan, and South Korea, and the case fatality ratio has been reported to be 16.2–32.6% [2,3]. Many aspects of the pathophysiological mechanisms that lead to fatal outcomes in SFTS patients have remained unclear
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