Tick-borne encephalitis: rounding out the picture

What is now known as tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) was first recognised as a distinct disease entity in 1931 in Europe by H. Schneider and described as 'meningitis serosa epidemica' of unknown etiology. A disease with similar clinical symptoms was reported in the Far East in 1934 and briefly thereafter - in 1937 - the etiologic agent was isolated in Russia and its transmission by ticks could also be demonstrated.