Plasma exchange and ribavirin for rapidly progressive severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging tick-borne disease caused by a novel bunyavirus. Although the increasing numbers of cases and deaths is of great concern, an effective treatment strategy for SFTS has not been established. We present the cases of two patients with rapidly progressing SFTS who were successfully treated with plasma exchange and ribavirin. (C) 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of International Society for Infectious Diseases. All rights reserved.