title: Tick-borne encephalitis in Styrian children from 1981 to 2005: a retrospective study and a review of the literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tick-borne encephalitis in children appears to be more benign than in adults and shows also a more favourable outcome. Only some authors report of sequelae like paralysis, paresis or seizures and behavioural abnormalities. The aim was to describe the clinical features of tick-borne encephalitis in children with special attention to sequelae and to review the literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review of all charts of children with serologically confirmed tick-borne encephalitis hospitalised in Styria between 1981 and 2005.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred sixteen children were diagnosed with tick-borne encephalitis. Ninety-two children (79.3%) developed meningitis and 24 (20.7%) meningoencephalitis. Eleven patients with meningoencephalitis showed somnolence, 5 confusion, 5 tremors, 2 facial palsy, 1 ataxia, 1 epileptic seizure and 1 hemi paresis. Seven patients had to be admitted to the intensive care unit. Two children (1.7%) developed long time neurological sequelae: one epileptic seizure with requirement of antiepileptic therapy and one left-sided hemi paresis. One hundred twelve children had been not and 3 incompletely vaccinated against tick-borne encephalitis. Only one child had been fully vaccinated according to the Austrian vaccination schedule.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study provides further evidence that tick-borne encephalitis in children has a substantial morbidity and in single cases severe long-time neurological sequelae are observed.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Paediatrics, Medical University of Graz, Austria. peter.fritsch@meduni-graz.at
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fritsch
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Gruber-Sedlmayr
authors.forename: Heike
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pansi
authors.forename: Bettina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zöhrer
authors.forename: Ingomar
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mutz
authors.forename: Dietmar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Spork
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zenz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004675:Encephalitis, Tick-Borne / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008499:Medical Records; D008581:Meningitis / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008590:Meningoencephalitis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014765:Viral Vaccines
chemical_list: D014765:Viral Vaccines