Investigation of antibody to severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) in blood samples donated in a SFTS-endemic area in Japan.

The risk of transfusion-transmitted infection (TTI) for severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) is a concern because person-to-person transmission resulting from contact with SFTSV-contaminated blood has been reported. To obtain information regarding the risk of TTI-SFTSV, antibody testing was performed for blood samples donated in an severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome-endemic area in Japan. No antibody-positive samples were detected among 3990 samples. This finding suggested that there were few cases of SFTSV infection among donors and that the risk of TTI-SFTSV was also estimated low in Japan.