Tick-borne encephalitis virus – a review of an emerging zoonosis

Journal of General Virology  August 2009  V.90  N.8  p.1781-1794

Review

K. L. Mansfield1, N. Johnson1, L. P. Phipps1, J. R. Stephenson2, A. R. Fooks1 and T. Solomon3

1 Rabies and Wildlife Zoonoses Group, Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Surrey, UK

2 Health Protection Agency, London, UK

3 Brain Infections Group, Divisions of Neurological Science and Medical Microbiology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK

During the last 30 years, there has been a continued increase in human cases of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in Europe, a disease caused by tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). TBEV is endemic in an area ranging from northern China and Japan, through far-eastern Russia to Europe, and is maintained in cycles involving Ixodid ticks (Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes persulcatus) and wild vertebrate hosts. The virus causes a potentially fatal neurological infection, with thousands of cases reported annually throughout Europe. TBE has a significant mortality rate depending upon the strain of virus or may cause long-term neurological/neuropsychiatric sequelae in people affected. In this review, we comprehensively reviewed TBEV, its epidemiology and pathogenesis, the clinical manifestations of TBE, along with vaccination and prevention. We also discuss the factors which may have influenced an apparent increase in the number of reported human cases each year, despite the availability of effective vaccines.

abstract

http://vir.sgmjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/90/8/1781

PDF

http://vir.sgmjournals.org/cgi/reprint/90/8/1781

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