Reactivation of Epstein-Barr virus in SFTSV infected patients

Background:Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome(SFTS)is an emerging hemorrhagic fever caused by a tick-borne bunyavirus SFTSV with case fatality up to 30%.The reactivation of Epstein-Barr virus(EBV)has been proven to occur in individuals with various immune suppression conditions.Methods:Here,we diagnosed 22 SFTSV infected patients with PCR in a hospital in Shandong Province,China in 2020.To understand the consequences of SFTSV infection leading to EBV reactivation,we examined EBV reactivation in SFTSV-infected patients with PCR and RT-PCR.Results:We found that EBV was reactivated in 18.2%(4/22)of SFTS patients,suggesting that EBV reactivation is common in SFTS patients.Compared with SFTS patients without EBV reactivation,SFTS patients with EBV-reactivation had a significantly lower median level of serum albumin(32.45 g/L vs.26.95 g/L,p=0.03)and a significantly higher median number of urine red blood cells(0 cells/μL vs.9 cells/μL,p=0.04).Conclusion:SFTS infection can reactivate EBV in patients,which may make the clinical condition of patients worsen.