BANGKOK, Thailand – Thailand is raising awareness of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (SFTS), a potentially fatal viral disease spread mainly by infected ticks. Dogs, cats and farm animals can carry infected ticks, putting people who handle or care for them at risk.
Symptoms usually appear within one to two weeks and include high fever, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, nausea and diarrhoea. Severe cases can cause bleeding, organ failure and death. There is currently no approved vaccine or specific antiviral treatment, making early medical attention important.
Thailand has recorded 10 cases and five deaths since 2019, including three cases and two deaths in the first nine months of 2026, according to the Department of Disease Control. The National Communicable Disease Committee has also approved a draft measure to add SFTS to the country’s disease surveillance system.
Health officials advise people to check pets regularly for ticks, use appropriate tick-control products and avoid handling ticks with bare hands. Those working with animals or spending time outdoors should wear protective clothing and check their bodies after exposure. Anyone developing a high fever after a tick bite or close contact with animals should seek medical attention and inform doctors about the exposure.
Unlike leptospirosis, which can spread through water contaminated by infected animals, SFTS is primarily a tick-borne infection. The key message is simple: protect pets from ticks and do not ignore a fever after possible exposure. (TNA)
