[Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome, an emerging infectious disease for hematologists]

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging infectious disease caused by tick-borne SFTS virus infection that was first described in rural areas of China in 2011. Since then, SFTS has also been found in the western part of Japan in 2013. The clinical pictures of SFTS are characterized by abrupt onset of fever and gastrointestinal symptoms, followed by a progressive decline in platelet and white blood cell counts. Disseminated intravascular coagulation and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis are also frequently observed in the patients with advanced phase of SFTS. No specific treatment of SFTS is available, and avoiding tick bites is an important way to prevent the infection of SFTS virus. Standard precautions should be applied to SFTS patients to prevent human-to-human transmission of SFTS virus. Since ticks bearing SFTS virus are found in all area of Japan including Hokkaido, this disease has become a substantial risk to public health in all parts of Japan.