Title Epidemiological patterns of tick-borne encephalitis in Lithuania and clinical features in adults in the light of the high incidence in recent years: a retrospective study
Authors Radzišauskienė, Daiva ; Žagminas, Kęstutis ; Ašoklienė, Loreta ; Jasionis, Arminas ; Mameniškienė, Rūta ; Ambrozaitis, Arvydas ; Jančorienė, Ligita ; Jatužis, Dalius ; Petraitytė, Iveta ; Mockienė, Evelina
DOI 10.1111/ene.13486
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Is Part of European journal of neurology.. Hoboken : Wiley. 2018, vol. 25, iss. 2, p. 268-274.. ISSN 1351-5101. eISSN 1468-1331
Keywords [eng] clinical forms ; epidemiology ; prognostic factors ; tick-borne encephalitis
Abstract [eng] BACKGROUND: Lithuania is one of the countries with the highest incidence of TBE in Europe. The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiological patterns of TBE in Lithuania, and characterize clinical features in adults in the light of the high incidence in recent years. METHODS: Surveillance data available on the website of the Center for Communicable Diseases and AIDS of Lithuania were used to describe the epidemiological patterns of TBE. The retrospective study included 712 patients hospitalized in the Center for Infectious Diseases and the Center for Neurology of Vilnius University in the years 2005-2014. RESULTS: TBE incidence rates have been increasing by 8.5% per year for the 45-year period from 1970 to 2014. The joinpoint model finds 2 joinpoints at 1991 and 1994, with a significant decrease of 8.4% per year (p<0.05) prior to the joinpoint at 1991, and a rise of 195.2% afterwards. TBE was presented with meningoencephalitis in 556 cases (81.3%). A total of 129 (18%) of patients had a severe case of the disease. The most common neurological signs were ataxia 579 (81.3%), meningeal signs 474 (66.5%), and tremor 338 (47.5%). Limb paresis was observed in 6.3% of patients. Five patients (0.7%) died, and 544 patients (76.7%) were discharged with sequelae. CONCLUSIONS: Intensified efforts in promoting TBE vaccination will be needed in the light of the high incidence and expanded spatial distribution. Significant prognostic factors for severe cases of the disease were age above 61, and delayed immune response of specific IgG.
Published Hoboken : Wiley
Type Journal article
Language English
Publication date 2018
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