Possible transmission of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) to a person who buried the corpus of a dead cat, which died of SFTSV infection.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) is a causative agent of SFTS. Although SFTS is a fatal tick-borne zoonosis, the virus can infect humans without tick bite exposure. Recently, direct SFTSV transmission from companion pets to humans has become a significant problem. Herein, we reported a case of SFTSV transmission from a dead community cat to a woman who buried the cat in Miyazaki prefecture, Japan. The community cat died without a diagnosis of SFTS, and the woman buried it without precaution. Nine days later, the woman developed symptoms of SFTS. SFTS viral RNA and anti-SFTSV antibodies were detected in the woman. The animal carcass was exhumed, and tissue samples were collected to confirm viral infection in the cat. High copy numbers of viral RNA were detected. Sequences of the SFTSV M segment in samples from the cat and the woman showed 100% homology. The woman stated that she had touched blood that had leaked from the body when she buried it. On the other hand, the woman could have been infected when she took the cat to the animal hospital. This study highlights the risk of SFTSV infection via contact with sick or dead community cats.