Bandavirus dabieense Isolated From a Wild Leopard Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis euptilura) in the Republic of Korea

Bandavirus dabieense severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) is an emerging tick-borne zoonotic virus that causes severe febrile illness and high fatality rates in people. SFTSV is endemic to East Asia, notably in the Republic of Korea (ROK), Japan, and China. Although several studies have reported SFTSV infections in domestic cats (Felis catus), reports of SFTSV in wild felids have been lacking. Previous serological analyses suggest exposure to SFTSV in various wildlife species. However, the clinical outcomes and the role of these animals in SFTSV transmission remain unclear. This study reports the first isolation and whole-genome analysis of SFTSV from a wild leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis euptilura) in the ROK. SFTSV was first detected in spleen tissue using real-time PCR, successfully isolated in Vero E6 cells, and confirmed with nested PCR and immunofluorescence assay (IFA). Phylogenetic analysis of whole-genome sequencing, including the L, M, and S segments, revealed that SFTSV from the leopard cat strain, belonging to sub-genotype B-1, showed 99.81%–99.94% nucleotide and 99.65%–99.95% of amino acid identity to previously reported strains from domestic cat and humans in the ROK. Notably, three distinct amino acid mutations, C12Y and H518Q in the M segment and F118S in the S segment, were unique to the leopard cat strain. While no remarkable gross pathological lesions were observed, the absence of other apparent causes of death suggests that SFTSV infection may have contributed. This study provides the first confirmed case of natural SFTSV infection with successful virus isolation from a wild leopard cat in the ROK. Our findings underscore the value of wild felids as ecological indicators of SFTSV circulation across diverse host within tick-borne transmission systems. These results highlight the importance of continued one health based surveillance to better understand the environmental and ecological contexts in which SFTSV persists.