Dr. Murai Éva - Gubányi András szerk.: Parasitologia Hungarica 29-30. (Budapest, 1997)

© Hungarian Natural History Museum Hungarian Society of Parasitologists Parasit, hung., 29-30: 5-16, 1996-1997 Tick-borne encephalitis András LAKOS

1

, Emőke FERENCZI

2

, Adrienne FERENCZ

3 and Etelka TÓTH

2 1

Outpatient Clinic for Tick-borne Diseases, Dr. Lakos Unlimited Partnership, H-1132 Budapest, Visegrádi u. 14, Hungary 1 Virology Department, 'Béla Johan" National Institute of Hygiene, Budapest, Hungary 3 IVth Ward of Internal Medicine, "Szent László" Hospital, Budapest, Hungary (Received 17 January, 1997) Abstract: Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a rare disease which, however, often takes a severe course. Between 1968 and 1995, a total of 5,561 cases were diagnosed in Hungary, with a mortality rate ranging between 1 and 1.5%. Most of the fatal cases occur in young adult men. Half of the cases were recorded in the counties Zala, Somogy, Nógrád and Vas. In certain areas (in counties Tolna, Pest, Nógrád and Heves), few diagnostic tests are being carried out as compared to the number of diagnosed cases, which means that in a large number of patients the infection remains undetected. So far only 3-5% of the Hungarian population have received adequate preventive vaccination, which could not yet exert a palpable effect on the epidemiological data. Key words: Tick-borne encephalitis, epidemiology, diagnosis, therapy, vaccination, Hungary INTRODUCTION The authors describe the symptoms of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) and the possibilities of its diagnosis and therapy. A detailed account of the current epidemiological situation of Hungary regarding TBE is also presented, together with arguments for extending vaccination against the disease. HISTORY OF THE DISCOVERY A disease of the central nervous system, characterised by high mortality rate, was observed in the Far Eastern areas of the Soviet Union already in 1932. The aetiology of the disease was completely unclear, and the disease was usually regarded as a (toxic) influenza of very severe course. (The practice of medicine has not changed much since then: even today, if we do not know about a disease what it is, we will usually say it is influenza or caused by some kind of