Molecular Epidemiology and Genotype Diversity of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus in Goats in South Korea.

Abstract

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) is a tick-borne zoonotic pathogen of significant public health concern in South Korea, where human cases continue to occur at high levels; however, information on the molecular epidemiology and genotype diversity of SFTSV in goats-an increasingly important livestock species-remains limited. In this study, blood samples were collected from 750 clinically healthy goats during nationwide surveillance in 2024. Viral RNA was detected by RT-PCR targeting the S and M genomic segments. Epidemiological characteristics were analyzed according to season, region, farm size, breed, and sex. Positive samples were subjected to sequencing and phylogenetic analysis to determine SFTSV genotypes. SFTSV RNA was detected in 10 of 750 goats (1.3%), with significantly higher detection rates in autumn compared with summer, in southern regions compared with northern regions, and in female goats compared with males, while no significant association was observed with farm size or breed. Phylogenetic analysis showed that goat-derived SFTSV strains belonged to genotypes B2, D, and F; notably, genotypes D and F were identified in goats for the first time in South Korea. These findings indicate that goats are exposed to genetically diverse SFTSV strains circulating in tick populations and exhibit epidemiological patterns consistent with tick ecology and human SFTS incidence, supporting the role of goats as incidental or sentinel hosts. Continuous molecular surveillance of goats, integrated with vector monitoring programs, may enhance understanding of regional SFTSV transmission dynamics and facilitate early detection of emerging genotypes with public health implication.