Sex-Specific Cytokine Profiles Associated with Viral Load and Disease Severity in Patients with Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome

Background

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is a severe tick-borne viral disease characterized by dysregulated host immune responses. Although previous studies have suggested sex-related differences in immune responses in SFTS, the sex-specific magnitude of cytokine changes and their relationships with viral load and laboratory parameters have not been fully characterized.