Person-to-Person Transmission of Severe Fever With Thrombocytopenia Syndrome

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome bunyavirus is a newly discovered bunyavirus with high pathogenicity to human. The transmission model has been largely un-characterized. Investigation on a cluster of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome cases provided evidence of person-to-person transmission through blood contact to the index patient with high serum virus load. A novel bunyavirus designated severe fever with thrombocyto-penia syndrome bunyavirus (SFTSV) was recently identified to be the etiological cause of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syn-drome (SFTS) [1]. The SFTS bunyavirus was classified as a new member of genus Phlebovirus, family Bunyaviridae exception to pathogenic or nonpathogenic groups in the genus. Although ticks of the species Haemaphysalis longicornis were supposed to be the vector of SFTSV infection to humans [1], most patient