SFTS Virus Infection in Nonhuman Primates

SFTS virus (SFTSV) is a highly pathogenic bunyavirus that causes severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS), an emerging infectious disease in China. Laboratory mice have been reported to be susceptible to SFTSV infection, but the infection in nonhuman primates has not been investigated. This study is the first to report that, in rhesus macaques, SFTSV does not cause severe symptoms or death but causes fever, thrombocytopenia, leukocytopenia, and increased levels of transaminases and myocardial enzymes in blood. Viremia, virus-specific immunoglobulin M and immunoglobulin G antibodies, and neutralizing antibodies were identified in all infected macaques. Levels of the cytokines interferon gamma, eotaxin, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and macrophage inflammatory protein 1 beta were significantly elevated in the blood. Minor pathological lesions were observed in the liver and kidney during the late stages of infection. Overall, SFTSV infection in rhesus macaques resembled mild SFTS in humans.