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Abstract

Background

Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is a flavivirus spread by ticks and can cause tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in humans. Previously, TBE has been reported in returning travellers in the United Kingdom (UK), but in 2019 and 2020, two probable cases of TBE acquired in the UK were identified.

Aim

The aim of this study was to investigate TBE cases in the UK between 2015 and 2023, describing the incidence, place and mode of acquisition and diagnostic process.

Methods

A retrospective review of possible, probable and confirmed cases of TBE diagnosed by the Rare and Imported Pathogens Laboratory (RIPL) between January 2015 and December 2023 was performed. For cases identified in 2022 and 2023, clinical data were collected for enhanced surveillance using structured case record forms. Laboratory diagnosis is reviewed and described.

Results

We identified 21 cases: three possible, seven probable and 11 confirmed cases. Of these, 12 were between January 2022 and December 2023: three possible, three probable and six confirmed cases. Two confirmed TBE cases had definite or highly probable acquisition in the UK, in June and August 2022, respectively. One of the possible cases had definite UK acquisition. Cases typically have a biphasic presentation, with encephalitis in the second phase.

Conclusion

Clinicians should be aware of the possibility of TBE when the cause for encephalitis is not identified, even in the absence of travel to previously identified endemic regions.

© Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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2025-02-06
2025-02-08
/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2025.30.5.2400404
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Tick-borne encephalitis: from tick surveillance to the first confirmed human cases, the United Kingdom, 2015 to 2023
<p class="citation"> <span>Citation style for this article:</span> <span class="meta-value authors"> <a href="/search?value1=Helen+Callaby&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Callaby Helen</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Kate+R+Beard&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Beard Kate R</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Dominic+Wakerley&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Wakerley Dominic</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Mary+Alexandra+Lake&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Lake Mary Alexandra</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Jane+Osborne&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Osborne Jane</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Kevin+Brown&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Brown Kevin</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Nadina+Wand&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Wand Nadina</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Jenny+Warner&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Warner Jenny</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Maya+Holding&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Holding Maya</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Nicholas+WS+Davies&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Davies Nicholas WS</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Malcolm+Proudfoot&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Proudfoot Malcolm</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Amanda+Semper&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Semper Amanda</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Tim+Brooks&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Brooks Tim</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Christina+Petridou&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Petridou Christina</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Catherine+F+Houlihan&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Houlihan Catherine F</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Tommy+Rampling&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Rampling Tommy</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Clare+E+Warrell&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Warrell Clare E</a>, <a href="/search?value1=N+Claire+Gordon&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Gordon N Claire</a>, <a href="/search?value1=the+TBE+working+group&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">the TBE working group</a></span>. Tick-borne encephalitis: from tick surveillance to the first confirmed human cases, the United Kingdom, 2015 to 2023. <a href="/content/ecdc">Euro Surveill.</a> 2025;30(5):pii=2400404. <a href="https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2025.30.5.2400404" title="doi link" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2025.30.5.2400404</a> <span class="ES_Article_citation"> <span class="generated">Received</span>: 21 Jun 2024;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span class="generated">Accepted</span>: 08 Oct 2024 </span> </p>
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