Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in Skåne, southern Sweden: A new TBE endemic region?
No case of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) has previously, to our knowledge, been reported from the region of north-eastern Skåne in southern Sweden. However, since the y 2001 we have identified 6 cases of TBE in this region occurring in a limited geographical area covering about 100 km2. Sera from 393 patients living in the vicinity of those TBE cases were analysed for the presence of TBE virus-specific IgG by use of ELISA. TBE virus IgG titres >126 VIEU (Vienna Units) were detected in 28 (7.1%) of the patients' sera. However, in only 3 of the ELISA TBE virus IgG positive sera were neutralizing antibodies against TBE virus demonstrated. Those 3 sera all had IgG titres of >380 VIEU. The TBE seroprevalence rate in this non-randomized population sample in north-eastern Skåne was calculated at 0.8%.
Johan
Fält
F
From the Departments of Infectious Diseases, Sweden.
Asa
Lundgren
L
Rolf
Alsterlund
A
Barbro
Carlsson
C
Ingvar
Eliasson
E
Mats
Haglund
H
Ake
Lundkvist
L
Sirkka
Vene
V
Bo
Settergren
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D004669:Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne / Q000276:immunology; D004675:Encephalitis, Tick-Borne / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G