Zhang Y, Song R, Shen Y, et al. - Researchers examined neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) production and its predictive value for disease progression and prognosis in patients with severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) via performing. Using PicoGreen double-stranded DNA assays and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, they measured three markers of NETs—namely, cell-free DNA (cfDNA), myeloperoxidase-DNA complexes, and lactoferrin-DNA complexes—were measured in a multicenter cohort of patients with SFTS (n = 112). This analysis has a high degree of clinical impact for recognition of cfDNA as a valuable predictive biomarker of clinical outcomes of SFTS. A strong correlation was observed between high cfDNA levels and multiple pathological processes, including coagulopathy, myocardial damage, liver dysfunction, and the development of encephalopathy. In patients with SFTS, a high level of cfDNA (> 711.7 ng/mL) at the time of the initial diagnosis was identified as predictive of severe illness.