Case Report: Successful treatment of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome associated with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis by preemptively using favipiravir and methylprednisolone

BackgroundSevere fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging infectious disease caused by a novel Bunyavirus with a high mortality rate. Cytokine storm could be regarded as an important feature of SFTS patients. Severe or critical cases of SFTS are often complicated with the presence...

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Main Authors: Liang Qiao, Ting-juan Zhang, Yuan Feng, Lei Yang, Ping Cai, Su-wan Liu, Yong-hui Ji, Jun Qian, Jing-dong Zhou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Medicine
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2025.1566719/full
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author Liang Qiao
Liang Qiao
Liang Qiao
Liang Qiao
Ting-juan Zhang
Ting-juan Zhang
Ting-juan Zhang
Ting-juan Zhang
Yuan Feng
Yuan Feng
Yuan Feng
Yuan Feng
Lei Yang
Lei Yang
Lei Yang
Lei Yang
Ping Cai
Ping Cai
Ping Cai
Ping Cai
Su-wan Liu
Yong-hui Ji
Yong-hui Ji
Yong-hui Ji
Yong-hui Ji
Jun Qian
Jun Qian
Jun Qian
Jun Qian
Jing-dong Zhou
Jing-dong Zhou
Jing-dong Zhou
Jing-dong Zhou
author_facet Liang Qiao
Liang Qiao
Liang Qiao
Liang Qiao
Ting-juan Zhang
Ting-juan Zhang
Ting-juan Zhang
Ting-juan Zhang
Yuan Feng
Yuan Feng
Yuan Feng
Yuan Feng
Lei Yang
Lei Yang
Lei Yang
Lei Yang
Ping Cai
Ping Cai
Ping Cai
Ping Cai
Su-wan Liu
Yong-hui Ji
Yong-hui Ji
Yong-hui Ji
Yong-hui Ji
Jun Qian
Jun Qian
Jun Qian
Jun Qian
Jing-dong Zhou
Jing-dong Zhou
Jing-dong Zhou
Jing-dong Zhou
author_sort Liang Qiao
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundSevere fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging infectious disease caused by a novel Bunyavirus with a high mortality rate. Cytokine storm could be regarded as an important feature of SFTS patients. Severe or critical cases of SFTS are often complicated with the presence of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), resulted in rapid disease progression and extremely adverse prognosis. Currently, effective treatments for these severe cases remain unavailable. Herein, we reported a case of SFTS associated with HLH successfully treated by favipiravir and methylprednisolone.Case presentationA 73-year-old male farmer was admitted to our hospital with a fever, fatigue, and bicytopenia for 1 week on June 20, 2024. The patient had a history of farm work. The diagnosis of SFTS was confirmed by detection of Bunyavirus RNA in the blood samples. Bone marrow examination revealed marked infiltration of macrophages with hemophagocytosis in the bone marrow leading to a diagnosis of HLH. Notably, the patient was preemptively treated with favipiravir together with methylprednisolone and supportive therapy before the diagnosis of SFTS associated with HLH. Excitingly, the patient was recovered after 10 days treatment.ConclusionEarly recognition of SFTS complicated with HLH is particularly important, and the preemptive application of favipiravir may improve the prognosis of these patients.
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spelling doaj-art-939e7371ff0f4ce7860e1caed0fa45a22025-08-20T03:25:42ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Medicine2296-858X2025-06-011210.3389/fmed.2025.15667191566719Case Report: Successful treatment of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome associated with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis by preemptively using favipiravir and methylprednisoloneLiang Qiao0Liang Qiao1Liang Qiao2Liang Qiao3Ting-juan Zhang4Ting-juan Zhang5Ting-juan Zhang6Ting-juan Zhang7Yuan Feng8Yuan Feng9Yuan Feng10Yuan Feng11Lei Yang12Lei Yang13Lei Yang14Lei Yang15Ping Cai16Ping Cai17Ping Cai18Ping Cai19Su-wan Liu20Yong-hui Ji21Yong-hui Ji22Yong-hui Ji23Yong-hui Ji24Jun Qian25Jun Qian26Jun Qian27Jun Qian28Jing-dong Zhou29Jing-dong Zhou30Jing-dong Zhou31Jing-dong Zhou32Department of Hematology, The Affiliated People’s Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, ChinaInstitute of Hematology, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, ChinaZhenjiang Clinical Research Center of Hematology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, ChinaThe Key Lab of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment in Hematologic Malignancies of Zhenjiang City, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, ChinaDepartment of Hematology, The Affiliated People’s Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, ChinaInstitute of Hematology, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, ChinaZhenjiang Clinical Research Center of Hematology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, ChinaThe Key Lab of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment in Hematologic Malignancies of Zhenjiang City, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, ChinaDepartment of Hematology, The Affiliated People’s Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, ChinaInstitute of Hematology, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, ChinaZhenjiang Clinical Research Center of Hematology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, ChinaThe Key Lab of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment in Hematologic Malignancies of Zhenjiang City, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, ChinaDepartment of Hematology, The Affiliated People’s Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, ChinaInstitute of Hematology, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, ChinaZhenjiang Clinical Research Center of Hematology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, ChinaThe Key Lab of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment in Hematologic Malignancies of Zhenjiang City, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, ChinaDepartment of Hematology, The Affiliated People’s Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, ChinaInstitute of Hematology, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, ChinaZhenjiang Clinical Research Center of Hematology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, ChinaThe Key Lab of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment in Hematologic Malignancies of Zhenjiang City, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, ChinaLaboratory Center, The Affiliated People’s Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, ChinaDepartment of Hematology, The Affiliated People’s Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, ChinaInstitute of Hematology, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, ChinaZhenjiang Clinical Research Center of Hematology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, ChinaThe Key Lab of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment in Hematologic Malignancies of Zhenjiang City, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, ChinaDepartment of Hematology, The Affiliated People’s Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, ChinaInstitute of Hematology, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, ChinaZhenjiang Clinical Research Center of Hematology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, ChinaThe Key Lab of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment in Hematologic Malignancies of Zhenjiang City, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, ChinaDepartment of Hematology, The Affiliated People’s Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, ChinaInstitute of Hematology, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, ChinaZhenjiang Clinical Research Center of Hematology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, ChinaThe Key Lab of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment in Hematologic Malignancies of Zhenjiang City, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, ChinaBackgroundSevere fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging infectious disease caused by a novel Bunyavirus with a high mortality rate. Cytokine storm could be regarded as an important feature of SFTS patients. Severe or critical cases of SFTS are often complicated with the presence of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), resulted in rapid disease progression and extremely adverse prognosis. Currently, effective treatments for these severe cases remain unavailable. Herein, we reported a case of SFTS associated with HLH successfully treated by favipiravir and methylprednisolone.Case presentationA 73-year-old male farmer was admitted to our hospital with a fever, fatigue, and bicytopenia for 1 week on June 20, 2024. The patient had a history of farm work. The diagnosis of SFTS was confirmed by detection of Bunyavirus RNA in the blood samples. Bone marrow examination revealed marked infiltration of macrophages with hemophagocytosis in the bone marrow leading to a diagnosis of HLH. Notably, the patient was preemptively treated with favipiravir together with methylprednisolone and supportive therapy before the diagnosis of SFTS associated with HLH. Excitingly, the patient was recovered after 10 days treatment.ConclusionEarly recognition of SFTS complicated with HLH is particularly important, and the preemptive application of favipiravir may improve the prognosis of these patients.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2025.1566719/fullsevere fever with thrombocytopenia syndromehemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosispreemptive treatmentfavipiravircase report
spellingShingle Liang Qiao
Liang Qiao
Liang Qiao
Liang Qiao
Ting-juan Zhang
Ting-juan Zhang
Ting-juan Zhang
Ting-juan Zhang
Yuan Feng
Yuan Feng
Yuan Feng
Yuan Feng
Lei Yang
Lei Yang
Lei Yang
Lei Yang
Ping Cai
Ping Cai
Ping Cai
Ping Cai
Su-wan Liu
Yong-hui Ji
Yong-hui Ji
Yong-hui Ji
Yong-hui Ji
Jun Qian
Jun Qian
Jun Qian
Jun Qian
Jing-dong Zhou
Jing-dong Zhou
Jing-dong Zhou
Jing-dong Zhou
Case Report: Successful treatment of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome associated with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis by preemptively using favipiravir and methylprednisolone
Frontiers in Medicine
severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome
hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis
preemptive treatment
favipiravir
case report
title Case Report: Successful treatment of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome associated with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis by preemptively using favipiravir and methylprednisolone
title_full Case Report: Successful treatment of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome associated with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis by preemptively using favipiravir and methylprednisolone
title_fullStr Case Report: Successful treatment of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome associated with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis by preemptively using favipiravir and methylprednisolone
title_full_unstemmed Case Report: Successful treatment of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome associated with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis by preemptively using favipiravir and methylprednisolone
title_short Case Report: Successful treatment of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome associated with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis by preemptively using favipiravir and methylprednisolone
title_sort case report successful treatment of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome associated with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis by preemptively using favipiravir and methylprednisolone
topic severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome
hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis
preemptive treatment
favipiravir
case report
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2025.1566719/full
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