Two autopsy cases of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) in Japan: a pathognomonic histological feature and unique complication of SFTS

Abstract

We report two autopsy cases of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) with a high fatality rate in aged Japanese patients. Both cases were caused by a tick-bite. The pathognomonic histological feature was necrotizing lymphadenitis of systemic lymphoid tissue with SFTS viruses and SFTSV-RNA copies. Marked fungal infections were also observed in the lungs of both patients. Since cellular immune function may be suppressed in SFTS patients, physicians should be aware of possible fungal infections.

Keywords: SFTS; SFTS virus-nucleoprotein antigen; autopsy cases; fungal infection; necrotizing lymphadenitis.