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Case Reports
. 2016 Dec 7;95(6):1351-1357.
doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.16-0527. Epub 2016 Oct 17.

Family Cluster Analysis of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus Infection in Korea

Jeong Rae Yoo  1 , Sang Taek Heo  1 , Dahee Park  2 , Hyemin Kim  2 , Aiko Fukuma  3 , Shuetsu Fukushi  3 , Masayuki Shimojima  3 , Keun Hwa Lee  2
Affiliations
Case Reports

Family Cluster Analysis of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus Infection in Korea

Jeong Rae Yoo et al. Am J Trop Med Hyg. .

Abstract

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is tick-borne viral disease that was first suspected in China in 2009. The causative virus (SFTSV) was isolated in 2009 and reported in 2011, and SFTSV expanded its geographic distribution in 2012-2013, from China to South Korea and Japan. Most SFTSV infections occur through Haemaphysalis longicornis However, SFTSV infection can also occur between family members, and nosocomial transmission of SFTSV is also possible through close contact with a patient. In this study, we first analyzed clinical, epidemiological, and laboratory data for SFTS patients and family members of an index patient in Korea. The S segment of SFTSV was amplified from the sera of three patients, and the S segment of SFTSV and IgG specific to SFTSV were detected in the serum from one family member; although this individual had no history of exposure to H. longicornis, she frequently had close contact with the index patient. In Korea, SFTSV infection among family members does not have to be reported, and we suggest that person-to-person transmission of SFTSV among family members is possible in Korea.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Epidemiologic curve of the family cluster, health-care workers and key events during the index patient's illness. A = Index patient (patient 1); B = patient 2 (son of A); C = patient 3 (son-in-law of A); D = wife of A; E = daughter of A; F = daughter-in-law of A; G = physician of patients 1, 2, and 3; H = physician of A; I = physician of A; J = physician of A. CRRT = continuous renal replacement therapy; ICU = intensive care unit. * Fever onset; † Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus polymerase chain reaction confirmed; ‡ surveillance start for family and health-care workers.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Phylogenetic tree constructed based on the S segment. The tree was constructed using the maximum likelihood method with MEGA 6. The S sequences of the family cluster and ticks in this study are shown in bold. Index patient/South Korea/06-2015 was amplified from the index patient (A), patient 2/South Korea/06-2015 was amplified from patient 2 (B), and patient 3/South Korea/06-2015 was amplified from patient 3 (C) in June 2015. Tick 01 on index patient/South Korea/06-2015 was amplified from a tick on the index patient, and Tick 02 on index patient/South Korea/06-2015 was also amplified a from tick on the index patient. The S sequence data for the viruses identified in China, South Korea, and Japan were obtained from NCBI/BLAST.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Immunofluorescence assay for IgG in a family cluster in 2015. Serum dilution 1:80.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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