Coinfection of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome and Scrub Typhus in Patients with Tick-Borne Illness
1. RFP : 매개체 전파 감염병 감시.예측 및 방제연구
2. 해당분과 : 2-1-2 과제
3. 과제명 : SFTS 혈청학적 진단제 개발
4. 연구책임자 : 이근화(한양대학교)
[Abstract]
Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) and scrub typhus are the most common tick-borne diseases in South Korea. However, few studies have systematically examined the simultaneous presence of the two diseases. We found that two (4.9%) of 41 patients with suspected and confirmed SFTS had evidence of coinfection with scrub typhus. In addition, two (3.6%) of 55 suspected and confirmed scrub typhus patients were identified to have coinfection with SFTS. Our data suggest that diagnostic evaluation for coinfection in patients with tick-borne illness and empirical doxycycline treatment in patients with SFTS may be warranted in areas endemic for both diseases until coinfection with scrub typhus is ruled out.