Via practica 5/2012

Tick-borne meningoencephalitis in 2011, clinical course and epidemiology

Tick-borne meningoencephalitis is acute viral disease of central nervous system. There were reported 108 TBE cases in Slovakia in 2011; clinical and epidemiological data were retrospectively collected in 92 ones. Incidence of the disease increased with increasing age of patients at maximum in a group of 55-64 year old individuals (21 cases). In the group of 4-77 year old monitored patients, the average age was 42.5 years. Biphasic course of the disease was documented in 66 cases (71.7%). The TBE disease was mostly presented as meningitis (50.0%) and meningoencephalitis was observed in 30 cases (32.6%). Paresis complication development occured in 12 cases (13.0%). TBE disease finished with death in one case. Postencephalitic syndrom was diagnosed in 25 cases (27.2%). Tick bite was positive in 73.9% cases.

Keywords: tick-borne meningoencephalitis, clinical course, epidemiology, post-encephalitic syndrome.