Key facts Severe Fever with Thrombocytopaenia Syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging infectious disease caused by the SFTS virus (SFTSV) It is a tick-borne infection but can also be transmitted from human to human in rare cases The key features are high fever and a low platelet count (thrombocytopaenia). Most infections occur in rural areas in parts of Asia There is no specific treatment or vaccine Overview Severe fever with thrombocytopaenia syndrome (SFTS) first emerged in China in 2009 and is caused by the SFTS virus (SFTSV), also known as Huaiyangshan banyangvirus. SFTS is a tick-borne infection, but human-to-human transmission can also occur in rare cases, through direct contact with infected blood or bodily fluids. The illness often begins with flu-like symptoms and fever. Most infections occur in rural areas where there is an increased presence of ticks. Human cases were first identified in Central and Eastern China and further cases have been identified in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.…