Tick-borne encephalitis in China: A review of epidemiology and vaccines.
Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) has been shown to be endemic in northern and western China, including the three mountain areas in Heilongjiang, Jilin, Inner Mongolia, and Xinjiang. In addition, serology evidence shows that there is human infection in south-west provinces of China, including Xizang (Tibet) and Yunnan. TBE in China is caused by the Far Eastern TBE virus subtype and there is no biphasic course for disease presentation. The majority of TBE cases in China have occurred in people who were living or working in forests. TBE vaccines became available in China soon after the virus was identified in the country and they have been used for more than 60years to date, with different vaccine types used in different periods. Currently, an inactivated and purified whole-virus vaccine produced in a primary hamster kidney (PHK) cell line is used. Clinical trials have shown this vaccine to have higher immunogenicity and fewer adverse reactions than previous TBE vaccines. This paper provides a review on the epidemiology of TBE and the history of TBE vaccination in China.
School of Public Health, Medical Science Center, Peking University Health Science Center, 38 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100191, PR China. Electronic address: xingyang@bjmu.edu.cn.
Yi
Y
Xing
Scientific Affairs, Pfizer Vaccines Europe, 23-25 Avenue du Dr. Lannelongue, F-75014 Paris, France. Electronic address: Joe.Schmitt@pfizer.com.
Heinz-Josef
HJ
Schmitt
Medicines and Scientific Vaccines Division, Pfizer Investment Co., Ltd., 36/F, CITIC Square, 1168 Nan Jing Road (W), Shanghai 200041, PR China. Electronic address: Adriano.Arguedas@pfizer.com.
Adriano
A
Arguedas
Pfizer Investment Co., Ltd., The Fifth Square, Tower B, 9/F, No. 3-7, Chaoyangmen North Avenue, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100010, PR China. Electronic address: Junfeng.yang@pfizer.com.
Junfeng
J
Yang
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D004669:Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004675:Encephalitis, Tick-Borne / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D019353:Endemic Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D000071497:Immunogenicity, Vaccine; D018884:Ixodes / Q000821:virology; D013987:Ticks / Q000821:virology; D014611:Vaccination; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D014765:Viral Vaccines
Epidemiology; Tick borne encephalitis; Vaccine