Fukuoka man dies from tick-borne infection, Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS)

By NewsDesk @bactiman63

A 60-year-old man from Yame, Fukuoka Prefecture died last week from the tick-borne infection, severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS), according to a Mainichi report.

According to the Kurume municipal public health center, the man was hospitalized on Aug. 16 for symptoms including fever and fatigue, diagnosed with SFTS three days later, and died on Aug. 21. As he had a tick bite mark near his right ankle, he was possibly bitten while he was farming.

The public health center is urging people to reduce their skin exposure in places such as tufts of grass as ixodid ticks are active between spring and autumn.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is a newly emerging infectious disease. Symptoms and laboratory abnormalities are fever, thrombocytopenia, leukocytopenia, and elevated serum enzyme levels. Multiorgan failure occurs in severe cases, and 6%–30% of case-patients die. The syndrome is caused by the SFTS virus (SFTSV) (genus Phlebovirus, family Bunyaviridae).

Ixodid tick species are implicated as vectors of SFTSV.

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