[Herald Economy = Jang Yeon-joo, Reporter] As the golden holiday of May continues, special caution is required to prevent being bitten by the ‘unwelcome guest’, the hard tick. If bitten by a hard tick, symptoms such as high fever, diarrhea, vomiting, muscle pain, and headache may appear, and there is currently no vaccine or treatment available. Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (SFTS) was first reported in Korea in 2013, and up to last year, a total of 2,065 cases were recorded, with 381 deaths. Last month, a woman in her 70s who was bitten by a hard tick and tested positive for SFTS died, marking her as the first fatality this year.
Hard ticks start their nymph activities from April to May, and if bitten, one can be infected with SFTS. As of now, there are no vaccines or treatments for SFTS.
Since the first case reported in Korea in 2013, a total of 2,065 cases of SFTS have been identified up to last year, with 381 deaths (fatality rate of 18.5%). However, there are still no vaccines or treatments, so adhering to preventive measures is the best option.
Hard ticks have the habit of feeding on different hosts during the stages of larvae, nymph, and adult. As the weather warms up in the spring, especially from April to May, nymph activities begin, adult ticks lay eggs in the summer (June to July), and larvae mainly occur in the fall (September to November), causing the population to increase rapidly.
It is known that as temperatures rise, the bloodsucking nature of ticks strengthens, making them more likely to bite humans.
According to the Korea Meteorological Administration’s three-month outlook, temperatures in May, June, and July are expected to be higher than normal, requiring extra caution.
The primary carriers of SFTS include Haemaphysalis longicornis, Haemaphysalis flava, Haemaphysalis japonica, and Haemaphysalis campanulata ticks. Among these, Haemaphysalis longicornis is most prevalent in Korea.
SFTS symptoms typically appear 5 to 14 days after being bitten by an SFTS virus-carrying hard tick, including high fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain, loss of appetite, and headache.
Hard ticks attach to humans or animals in grassy areas such as park lawns, transmitting the virus through bloodsucking. Since they don’t fly to attach, contact occurs when people enter areas inhabited by ticks.
Therefore, as the season for outings arrives, special care is needed when walking through thick vegetation. Caution is required from spring to autumn, especially in grass-covered areas at ankle height in hilly regions, where exposure to hard ticks is likely.
When entering places where ticks thrive, such as grass or bushes, wear long sleeves, long pants, long socks, tuck pants into socks, and wear shoes that fully cover the feet to minimize the chance of ticks penetrating clothing.
Additionally, after outdoor activities, thoroughly wash your body and check for attached ticks. Using tick repellents on shoes, socks, and pants at appropriate intervals is also recommended.
However, being bitten by a tick does not necessarily mean acquiring SFTS.
According to the results of a nationwide collection site survey by the KDCA, only 0.5% of ticks were found to carry the SFTS virus, indicating that only a small proportion of ticks are infected with the virus.
Symptoms must manifest before SFTS infection can be confirmed through testing.
If bitten by a tick, remove it according to tick removal methods, and disinfect the affected area. Monitor for clinical symptoms such as fever, vomiting, and diarrhea for 14 days, and seek medical attention immediately if symptoms appear.