Japanese health authorities have just confirmed the death of a 50-year-old woman from Severe Fever Syndrome with Thrombocytopenia (SFTS), a severe disease usually transmitted by tick bites. What alerted the health authorities is that this death would not be due ticks (the woman bore no trace on her body) but from the bite of a stray cat, which the fifty-something had taken in.
First case of transmission from a mammal to humans
It is not yet confirmed that the virus comes from cats but, if it does, this would be the first case of transmission of the virus from a mammal to humans.
SFTS is a disease that has recently emerged in parts of eastern China, Korea and Japan. The virus causes high fevers, low blood platelets, gastrointestinal disturbances and visceral failure. About 30% of people who catch this virus die, and the disease is believed to affect people over the age of 50 more severely.
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