Veterinarian dies from tick-borne disease after treating infected cats in west Japan
The veterinarian is believed to have contracted "severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS)" from one of the cats, prompting the Japan Veterinary Medical Association, which was notified by the Mie prefectural veterinarians' association, to call for caution during treatment.
According to a report by the prefectural association, the veterinarian hospitalized two cats, a 9-month-old male and female, each showing symptoms of SFTS for one week to 10 days in late April, sending samples to a private testing facility while providing treatment.
On May 6, the veterinarian began experiencing lethargy and loss of appetite, and was taken to the hospital with breathing difficulties on the night of May 8. Tests confirmed that the vet had SFTS, and the attending physician reported the case to the public health center in accordance with the infectious diseases control law. The veterinarian died on May 12. No tick bite marks were reportedly found.
Meanwhile, the public health center investigated the animal hospital run by the veterinarian and the cats' owners, confirming that neither hospital staff nor owners showed any symptoms. Both cats were confirmed to have SFTS but apparently recovered after hospitalization and have since shown no symptoms.
SFTS has an incubation period of about six to 14 days before causing symptoms such as fever and diarrhea. The disease is notable for its high fatality rate, reaching up to 30%. According to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1,071 human cases and 117 deaths were reported in Japan between March 2013 and the end of April 2025.
In March 2024, a case was reported in which a physician contracted SFTS from a patient, marking the first confirmed human-to-human transmission in Japan. Cases of transmission from pets have also been reported.
(Japanese original by Emi Shimomura, Tsu Bureau)
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