Epidemiological Characteristics of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome collect from Yangzhou China in the year of 2024

Background Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging infectious disease that poses a significant threat to public health, given its high fatality rate and potential for person-to-person transmission. Caused by the SFTS virus (SFTSV), a novel bunyavirus first identified in central and eastern China, SFTS has drawn increasing attention in recent years. Methods To gain an updated and in-depth insight into the epidemiological features of SFTS in eastern China, this study collected all confirmed SFTS cases in the year of 2024 from Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province. A total of 33 laboratory-confirmed SFTS cases were included in the analysis; after obtaining their complete viral genome sequences through sequencing, an epidemiological investigation was conducted. Additionally, a phylogenetic tree was constructed using MEGA-X software. Results Our findings revealed that the number of SFTS cases in Yangzhou showed an overall upward trend over the study period, with only a slight decline in the past three years. The laboratory confirmation rate stood at approximately 64.4%. Most SFTS cases were sporadic rather than clustered. Notably, the mortality rate exhibited a positive correlation with age-rising as patients’ age increased. Conclusions In summary, this study systematically analyzed laboratory-confirmed SFTS cases in Yangzhou. The results suggest that the diagnostic and reporting criteria for SFTS need further optimization and standardization. Such improvements would facilitate a more accurate understanding of the disease’s epidemiological characteristics and provide scientific evidence to support SFTS prevention and control efforts.