Clinical and Etiological Characteristics of Severe Hemorrhagic Fever
Caused by Coinfection of Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Bunyavirus and
Hemorrhagic Fever Virus
Abstract
Objective: Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS)
and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) usually have different
infection routes, and coinfection is relatively rare. The clinical and
etiological characteristics of coinfection by the two pathogens will
provide important references for clinical diagnosis and treatment.
Methods: Blood samples and epidemiological data on HFRS
patients were collected and classified into severe and non-severe groups
according to clinical severity. The differences in clinical
characteristics and levels of pathogens were evaluated and compared.
Results: A total of 22 HFRS patient cases were collected from
December 2021 to October 2022. Of these patients, 16 were non-severe and
6 severe. Patients with rodent exposure history, muscle and joint pain,
weight loss, pharyngeal and conjunctival hyperemia, and positive urine
protein and antibody IGM had a high severe rate (P< 0.05).
Molecular tests on blood samples showed that 3 of the 6 severe patients
were positive for hantavirus, 2 of the 3 hantavirus positives were
positive for bunyavirus. Conclusion: Severe HFRS patients have
different epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory characteristics. The
coinfection of hantavirus and bunyavirus leads to severe HFRS. These
findings have implications and references for diagnosis and treatment of
coinfected severe cases.