Seasonal dynamics of hedgehog-borne ticks and severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus in Beijing's urban parks

Chunzheng Li; Hongyue Li; Yuanchi Ye; Lianglong Zhu; Aihua Zheng; Xing Zhang

doi:10.1016/j.virs.2025.10.005

October 2025

Chunzheng Li, Hongyue Li, Yuanchi Ye, Lianglong Zhu, Aihua Zheng and Xing Zhang. Seasonal dynamics of hedgehog-borne ticks and severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus in Beijing's urban parks[J]. Virologica Sinica, 2025, 40(5): 748-754. doi: 10.1016/j.virs.2025.10.005

Citation: Chunzheng Li, Hongyue Li, Yuanchi Ye, Lianglong Zhu, Aihua Zheng, Xing Zhang. Seasonal dynamics of hedgehog-borne ticks and severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus in Beijing's urban parks .VIROLOGICA SINICA, 2025, 40(5) : 748-754. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.virs.2025.10.005

北京城市公园刺猬所携带蜱虫及SFTSV的季节性动态

李春政 ^a,b ,
李虹悦 ^b ,
叶源池 ^b,d ,
朱良隆 ^b,c ,
郑爱华 ^b,c,, ,
张星 ^b,c,,

a 中国科学院动物研究所;
b. 河南师范大学;
c. 中国科学院大学d中国科学技术大学

通讯作者： 郑爱华, zhengaihua@ioz.ac.cn; 张星, zhangxing@ucas.ac.cn
收稿日期： 2025-03-17
录用日期： 2025-10-15

摘要

发热伴血小板减少综合征病毒（SFTSV）是一种新发蜱传病毒，自2021年以来北京市城乡结合部的SFTSV病例持续上升。本研究系统研究了北京市城区公园刺猬体表蜱类及其携带SFTSV的季节性动态特征。通过对六处公园的实地调查，我们发现长角血蜱（Haemaphysalis longicornis）呈现显著的季节性活动规律：成虫在夏季达到活动高峰，而若虫则在春秋季占优势地位。所有采集的长角血蜱均属于孤雌生殖种群。在北京市中心陶然亭公园采集的长角血蜱中鉴定出一株近乎完整的SFTSV基因组序列（C4型毒株），提示北京市城区公园持续存在SFTSV循环。血清学分析显示，春季刺猬群体中SFTSV中和抗体阳性率超过50%，但夏秋季血清阳性率显著下降，表明刺猬可能会反复感染，提示刺猬可能作为该病毒的潜在储存宿主。本研究揭示了由刺猬和长角血蜱形成的SFTSV传播循环已在北京城区建立，亟需加强监测并实施公共卫生干预措施以控制城市感染风险。
- 发热伴血小板减少综合征病毒
- , 长角血蜱
- , 刺猬
- , 城市

Seasonal dynamics of hedgehog-borne ticks and severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus in Beijing's urban parks

Chunzheng Li ^a,b ,
Hongyue Li ^b ,
Yuanchi Ye ^b,d ,
Lianglong Zhu ^b,c ,
Aihua Zheng ^b,c,, ,
Xing Zhang ^b,c,,

a. College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453003, China;
b. State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China;
c. CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China;
d. Department of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China

Corresponding author: Aihua Zheng, zhengaihua@ioz.ac.cn Xing Zhang, zhangxing@ucas.ac.cn
Received Date: 17 March 2025
Accepted Date: 15 October 2025

Abstract

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV), an emerging tick-borne pathogen, has caused a rising number of human cases in the urban-rural fringe of Beijing since 2021. This study explores the seasonal dynamics of hedgehog-associated ticks and SFTSV transmission in urban parks of Beijing. Surveys across six parks revealed distinct activity patterns: adult Haemaphysalis longicornis peaked in summer, while nymphs dominated spring and autumn. All collected H. longicornis belonged to parthenogenetic populations. A near-complete SFTSV genome (C4 strain) was identified in a tick collected from Taoranting Park, suggesting multiple viral introductions into Beijing. Serological analysis showed that > 50% of hedgehogs carried SFTSV-neutralizing antibodies in spring; yet seropositivity declined markedly in summer and autumn, indicating recurrent infections and implicating hedgehogs as potential reservoirs. These findings reveal an urban SFTSV transmission cycle maintained by hedgehogs and parthenogenetic H. longicornis, emphasizing the urgency of enhanced surveillance and public health interventions to curb urban zoonotic risks.
- Severe fever with thrombocytopenia virus (SFTSV)
- , Hedgehog
- , Haemaphysalis longicornis
- , Urban
- , Parthenogenetic

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10.1016j.virs.2025.10.005-ESM1.docx