Increased Risk of Infection with Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Virus among Animal Populations on Tsushima Island, Japan, Including an Endangered Species, Tsushima Leopard Cats

Aya Matsuu; Kandai Doi; Keita Ishijima; Kango Tatemoto; Yushi Koshida; Ayako Yoshida; Kohei Kiname; Akio Iwashita; Shin-ichi Hayama; Ken Maeda

doi:10.3390/v14122631

Viruses (Nov 2022)

Increased Risk of Infection with Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Virus among Animal Populations on Tsushima Island, Japan, Including an Endangered Species, Tsushima Leopard Cats

Aya Matsuu,
Kandai Doi,
Keita Ishijima,
Kango Tatemoto,
Yushi Koshida,
Ayako Yoshida,
Kohei Kiname,
Akio Iwashita,
Shin-ichi Hayama,
Ken Maeda

Affiliations

Aya Matsuu: Department of Veterinary Science, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
Kandai Doi: Laboratory of Wildlife Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, 1-7-1 Kyonancho, Musashino, Tokyo 180-8602, Japan
Keita Ishijima: Department of Veterinary Science, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
Kango Tatemoto: Department of Veterinary Science, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
Yushi Koshida: Conservation and Animal Welfare Trust, Tsushima, 642-2 Kamiagata, Tsushima, Nagasaki 817-1602, Japan
Ayako Yoshida: Center for Animal Disease Control, Kibana Campus, University of Miyazaki, 1-1 Gakuen-kibanadai-nishi, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan
Kohei Kiname: Tsushima Rangers Office, Ministry of Environment, 1249 Izuhara, Tsushima, Nagasaki 817-0154, Japan
Akio Iwashita: Tsushima Rangers Office, Ministry of Environment, 1249 Izuhara, Tsushima, Nagasaki 817-0154, Japan
Shin-ichi Hayama: Laboratory of Wildlife Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, 1-7-1 Kyonancho, Musashino, Tokyo 180-8602, Japan
Ken Maeda: Department of Veterinary Science, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/v14122631
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 14, no. 12
p. 2631

Abstract

Read online

To investigate the seroprevalence of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) among wild and companion animals on Tsushima Island, Japan, SFTS virus (SFTSV)-specific ELISA and virus-neutralizing tests were conducted on 50 wild boars, 71 Sika deer, 84 dogs, 323 domestic cats, and 6 Tsushima leopard cats. In total, 1 wild boar (1.8%), 2 dogs (2.4%), 7 domestic cats (2.2%), and 1 Tsushima leopard cat (16.7%) were positive for anti-SFTSV antibodies. Among the 11 positive animals, 10 were collected after 2019, and all were found on the southern part of the island. SFTSV, thus far, seems to be circulating within a limited area of Tsushima Island. To protect humans and animals, including endangered Tsushima leopard cats, from SFTSV infection, countermeasures are needed to prevent the spread of SFTSV on Tsushima Island.

Published in Viruses

ISSN: 1999-4915 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Science: Microbiology
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/viruses

About the journal

Abstract

Keywords