Tick-borne encephalitis

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control: tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) case definition[28]European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Factsheet about tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). [internet publication]. https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/tick-borne-encephalitis/facts/factsheet

Clinical criteria

• Any person with symptoms of inflammation of the central nervous system (e.g., meningitis, meningo-encephalitis, encephalomyelitis, encephaloradiculitis).

Laboratory criteria

• Laboratory criteria for case confirmation - at least one of the following five:

  • TBE-specific IgM and IgG antibodies in blood

  • TBE-specific IgM antibodies in cerebrospinal fluid

  • Seroconversion or fourfold increase of TBE-specific antibodies in paired serum samples

  • Detection of TBE viral nucleic acid in a clinical specimen

  • Isolation of TBE virus from clinical specimen.

• Laboratory criteria for a probable case:

  • Detection of TBE-specific IgM antibodies in a unique serum sample.

Epidemiological criteria

• Exposure to a common source (unpasteurised dairy products).

Case classification

• Probable case: any person meeting the clinical criteria and the laboratory criteria for a probable case, or any person meeting the clinical criteria with an epidemiological link.

• Confirmed case: any person meeting the clinical and laboratory criteria for case confirmation.