Prevalence of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus in black goats (Capra hircus coreanae) in the Republic of Korea

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) is an emerging tick-borne pathogen in China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea (ROK). The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of SFTSV antigens and anti-SFTSV antibodies in black goats (Capra hircus coreanae) throughout the ROK. Sera were collected from 737 black goats in nine provinces in the ROK. Eighteen of 737 (2.4%) goat sera were positive for SFTSV on one-step reverse transcription nested polymerase chain reaction. The amplified 346-bp S segments of SFTSV sequences were classified into three genotypes (BG1, BG2, and BG3), and were included in the Japanese clade rather than the Chinese clade, based on phylogenetic analysis. Forty-three of 624 (6.9%) serum samples were seropositive for anti-SFTSV antibodies on enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay analysis. This study is the first to examine the molecular prevalence of SFTSV in goats and the first to perform serological detection of anti-SFTSV antibodies in livestock in the ROK. Moreover, the results indicate that SFTSV is widely distributed in goats and that additional monitoring for SFTSV is needed in livestock in the ROK.