Patient assessment

Severe fever with thrombocytopaenia syndrome (SFTS)

• classed as a contact high consequence infectious disease (HCID) in England and clinical assessment should be performed by specialist hospital staff, with adherence to strict infection prevention and control precautions to prevent secondary transmission
• follow the Advisory Committee for Dangerous Pathogens (ACDP) guidance for managing contact HCIDs.

Consider SFTS in a patient with a relevant travel or exposure history who presents with a compatible illness, particularly fever and thrombocytopaenia, with illness onset within 14 days of a potential exposure.

Any suspected cases in England should be discussed with local infection specialists and with the Imported Fever Service (IFS) (24 hour telephone service: 0844 778 8990)

• IFS can advise on whether laboratory testing is indicated. The IFS is also available to clinicians in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

All suspected cases of SFTS should be notified immediately to the nearest PHE Health Protection Team.

Along with consideration of other travel-associated and common infections in the differential diagnosis, clinicians should also consider other, more common tick-borne infections relevant to the area visited, such as rickettsioses.

Reference:

• Public Health England (April 2021). Severe fever with thrombocytopaenia syndrome (SFTS): epidemiology, outbreaks and guidance