Dr. Yong reveals the dangers of "Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome" or SFTS is caused by "dog ticks" There have been 53 cases in Thailand Following China's discovery of a new emerging virus causing similar disease symptoms, he advises caution against pressing or crushing ticks with bare hands
On 12 Sep 2026 GMT+7, Professor Yong Poovorawan, head of the Clinical Virology Expertise Center at the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, posted about "Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome, or tick-borne fever, occurs in Thailand. China has found a new emerging virus causing the same disease symptoms." He stated that
Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (SFTS) is caused by ticks, especially dog ticks in Thailand. It is not a new disease but has been known for over 15 years, prevalent in China, Japan, and South Korea. In China, it is mainly caused by the longhorn tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis) found on deer or wild animals.
In Thailand, the main cause is the brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus), well known locally. Our team at the center has studied this for over 7 years and has reported the highest number of cases in Thailand. So far, 53 patients have been found, with 5 deaths. The virus belongs to the family Phenuiviridae and genus Bandavirus and is found throughout Thailand. It can be fatal in elderly patients, those with low immunity, or chronic illnesses, presenting as
Symptoms similar to dengue fever, including high fever, low platelet count, and low white blood cells. Severe cases may lead to organ failure and death.
This disease is transmitted by the brown tick commonly found on dogs in Thailand. Importantly, transmission to humans can occur not only through tick bites but also by handling ticks on dogs and crushing or pressing them with bare hands, which should be avoided. Dog owners should regularly check for ticks and use tick prevention treatments, especially as many keep dogs indoors or even sleep with them.
More than 30% of patients clinically diagnosed with SFTS tested negative for the DBV virus, indicating there may be other pathogens causing similar symptoms.
Reports from China have identified a new emerging virus causing similar symptoms. This virus belongs to the Nairoviridae family, genus Orthonairovirus. It is a newly discovered or emerging virus associated with this syndrome, representing a new disease with symptoms like severe fever and thrombocytopenia in patients testing negative for known viruses. The virus has also been detected in ticks.
This raises significant interest that the syndrome of severe fever with thrombocytopenia may not be caused by a single known virus but possibly by new or previously unrecognized viruses. Further study is needed, especially in Thailand.
The presence of both viruses in the same area and transmitted by the same tick species underscores the urgent need to develop diagnostic methods to differentiate infections from these viruses in regions where SFTS is endemic.
In Thailand, our center has tested patients with high fever and low platelet counts who tested negative for dengue fever and known SFTSV. These cases might be caused by this new virus.
Our center plans to develop diagnostic tests because identifying the virus involved allows us to examine stored samples to determine whether this new virus exists in Thailand and its prevalence, enabling prompt action.
Thanks to information from the Facebook page Yong Poovorawan