Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41943912›Full record

ArticleOsong public health and research perspectives2026

Secondary transmission of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome in a hospital setting in Republic of Korea: a retrospective observational study of personal protective equipment use and infection risk factors.

Seongwoo Park, Hye Young Lee, Jeong-Ran Kwon, Yuna Kim

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Osong public health and research perspectives, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Seongwoo ParkDivision of Infectious Disease Response, Chungcheong Regional Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
Hye Young LeeDivision of Infectious Disease Response, Chungcheong Regional Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
Jeong-Ran KwonDivision of Infectious Disease Response, Chungcheong Regional Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
Yuna KimDivision of Infectious Disease Response, Chungcheong Regional Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThis study investigated a cluster of secondary human-to-human transmission of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) in a hospital setting, focusing on infection risk factors and the role of personal protective equipment (PPE).

methodsA descriptive epidemiological investigation was conducted following the death of an index patient with laboratory-confirmed SFTS. A total of 27 close contacts, including healthcare workers and a funeral director, were monitored for symptoms. Suspected cases underwent real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction testing. Clinical features, PPE use, and exposure histories were analyzed. The Fisher exact test was used to assess associations between PPE use and infection. Viral genotyping and sequence analyses were performed to evaluate transmission routes.

resultsThe index patient deteriorated rapidly and died after repeated cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), during which 8 secondary cases occurred. Most infections were identified among individuals involved in CPR or postmortem care without adequate PPE. Although not statistically significant, infection rates were higher among those who did not wear masks or who used low-filtration masks. Proper use of gloves, gowns, and goggles was associated with lower infection rates. Cycle threshold values in secondary cases (range, 34-39) were higher than in the index case (14.07), suggesting lower viral loads. Sequence analysis demonstrated 99.6%-100% homology between the index and secondary cases; all isolates were genotype B, indicating direct transmission.

conclusionThis study provides molecular and epidemiological evidence of nosocomial SFTS transmission. Inadequate PPE use during aerosol-generating procedures likely facilitated infection, underscoring the importance of strict adherence to PPE protocols and reinforced infection control practices.

Indexed as

Cross infectionInfection controlPersonal protective equipmentSevere fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome

Identifiers

PMID41943912
PMCPMC13175934

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.