Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus in Ticks and SFTS Incidence in Humans, South Korea

Abstract

During 2016–2018, we collected 3,193 ticks from rural areas in South Korea to investigate the prevalence of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV). We detected SFTSV in ticks at an infection rate (IR) of 11.1%. We noted increases in the human IR associated with the monthly SFTSV IR in ticks.

Keywords

• Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus
• tickborne diseases
• vectorborne diseases
• zoonoses
• South Korea
• vector-borne infections