The first discovery of severe fever with thrombocytopenia virus in the center of metropolitan Beijing, China

Fei Yuan; Lianglong Zhu; Di Tian; Mengyu Xia; Ming-hao Zheng; Qing Zhang; Tingyu Zhang; Xing Zhang; Aihua Zheng

doi:10.1016/j.virs.2024.11.002

December 2024

Citation: Fei Yuan, Lianglong Zhu, Di Tian, Mengyu Xia, Ming-hao Zheng, Qing Zhang, Tingyu Zhang, Xing Zhang, Aihua Zheng. The first discovery of severe fever with thrombocytopenia virus in the center of metropolitan Beijing, China .VIROLOGICA SINICA, 2024, 39(6) : 875-881. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.virs.2024.11.002

The first discovery of severe fever with thrombocytopenia virus in the center of metropolitan Beijing, China

Fei Yuan ^a ,
Lianglong Zhu ^a,b ,
Di Tian ^c ,
Mengyu Xia ^a,b ,
Ming-hao Zheng ^d ,
Qing Zhang ^c ,
Tingyu Zhang ^c ,
Xing Zhang ^{a,e
,,} ,
Aihua Zheng ^{a,b
,,}

cstr: 32224.14.j.virs.2024.11.002

a. State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China;
b. CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China;
c. National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China;
d. The High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, China;
e. College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China

Corresponding author: Xing Zhang, zhangxing@ucas.ac.cn
Aihua Zheng, zhengaihua@ioz.ac.cn
Received Date: 04 June 2024
Accepted Date: 05 November 2024
Available online: 08 November 2024

Abstract

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia virus (SFTSV), an emerging tick-borne bandavirus, poses a significant public health threat in rural China. Since 2021, an increase of local cases has been noted in the rural-urban fringe of Beijing. This study aimed to assess the formation of natural foci in urban areas by conducting a field survey of ticks and hedgehogs from the second to fifth ring roads of Beijing. Our survey revealed a diverse tick population in city parks, including the major SFTSV vector, Haemaphysalis longicornis. Parthenogenetic H. longicornis, known for its role in the rapid spread of SFTSV, was identified in key locations such as Beihai Park and Taoranting Park, near the Forbidden City. Notably, high SFTSV seroprevalence and RNA prevalence were found in hedgehogs and parasitic ticks in the center of Beijing. Phylogenetic analyses of SFTSV RNA and mitochondrial sequences of parthenogenetic H. longicornis ticks revealed the existence of diverse lineages of SFTSV and H. longicornis ticks within Beijing, suggesting multiple invasion events happened. These findings reveal the circulation of SFTSV in central Beijing, highlighting the need for urgent attention and enhanced surveillance measures.
- Severe fever with thrombocytopenia virus (SFTSV)
- , Hedgehog
- , Haemaphysalis longicornis
- , Urban
- , Beijing

Electronic Supplementary Material

10.1016j.virs.2024.11.002-ESM2.xlsx

10.1016j.virs.2024.11.002-ESM1.docx
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