Gender Differences in Incidence and Fatality of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome in China: A Comparative Study Based on National Surveillance Data

Background: Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is a newly emerging infectious disease, which has a substantial burden in eastern Asia and an increasingly global concern. Differences in infectious diseases between male and female individuals are an important public health problem. Methods: We used the database containing all reported SFTS cases in mainland China, and conducted systematic evaluation of gender differences in incidence and fatality in relation to age, temporal and spatial distribution, residence location and some clinical factors. Findings: A total of 15234 SFTS cases were reported during 2010-2018. Female individuals had significantly higher average annual incidence rate (AAIR) with a RR of 1·21 (95% CI 1·17-1·25; p˂0·0001), but significantly lower case fatality rate (CFR) with an OR of 0·74 (95% CI 0·63-0.85; p