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Abstract

Background

The exact epidemiology of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) infections is unknown because many TBEV infections have an influenza-like or asymptomatic course. Surveillance data are based on patients with any (predominantly neurological) symptoms that prompted diagnostic testing. Infection- and vaccine-induced antibodies against TBEV can be distinguished using an NS1 IgG ELISA.

Aim

In a seroprevalence study we aimed to investigate TBEV antibody prevalence, incidences, manifestation indices and potential protection rates in a highly endemic district in south-western Germany.

Methods

We analysed 2,220 samples from healthy blood donors collected between May and September 2021. The reported number of TBEV infections was provided on a sub-district level by the local public health authorities. Blood samples were first screened using a TBEV IgG ELISA. In a second step, all positive samples were further analysed with a recently established NS1 IgG ELISA. The presence of specific antibodies against TBEV (excluding cross-reacting antibodies against other flaviviruses) was confirmed by testing screening-positive samples with a microneutralisation assay.

Results

Of 2,220 included samples, 1,257 (57%) tested positive by TBEV IgG ELISA and 125 tested positive for infection-induced TBEV NS1 antibodies, resulting in a TBEV NS1 IgG seroprevalence at 5.6% in our population. The yearly incidence based on the NS1 ELISA findings resulted in 283 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

Conclusion

Using the TBEV NS1 IgG assay, we confirmed a manifestation index of ca 2% and a high incidence of predominantly silent TBEV infections (> 250/100,000/year), which exceeds the incidence of notified cases (4.7/100,000/year) considerably.

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/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2023.28.12.2200408
2023-03-23
2024-12-21
/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2023.28.12.2200408
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Tick-borne encephalitis virus IgG antibody surveillance: vaccination- and infection-induced seroprevalences, south-western Germany, 2021
<p class="citation"> <span>Citation style for this article:</span> <span class="meta-value authors"> <a href="/search?value1=Kathrin+Euringer&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Euringer Kathrin</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Philipp+Girl&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Girl Philipp</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Klaus+Kaier&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Kaier Klaus</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Jan+Peilst%C3%B6cker&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Peilstöcker Jan</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Michael+Schmidt&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Schmidt Michael</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Michael+M%C3%BCller-Steinhardt&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Müller-Steinhardt Michael</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Beate+Rauscher&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Rauscher Beate</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Evelyn+Bressau&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Bressau Evelyn</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Winfried+V+Kern&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Kern Winfried V</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Gerhard+Dobler&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Dobler Gerhard</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Johannes+P+Borde&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Borde Johannes P</a></span>. Tick-borne encephalitis virus IgG antibody surveillance: vaccination- and infection-induced seroprevalences, south-western Germany, 2021. <a href="/content/ecdc">Euro Surveill.</a> 2023;28(12):pii=2200408. <a href="https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2023.28.12.2200408" title="doi link" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2023.28.12.2200408</a> <span class="ES_Article_citation"> <span class="generated">Received</span>: 15 May 2022;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span class="generated">Accepted</span>: 08 Nov 2022 </span> </p>
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