Lindquist Lars, Vapalahti Olli
Department of Medicine and Clinic for Infectious Diseases, Karolinska Institute, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden.
Lancet. 2008 May 31;371(9627):1861-71. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(08)60800-4.
We review the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of tick-borne encephalitis, and summarise biological and virological aspects that are important for understanding the life-cycle and transmission of the virus. Tick-borne encephalitis virus is a flavivirus that is transmitted by Ixodes spp ticks in a vast area from western Europe to the eastern coast of Japan. Tick-borne encephalitis causes acute meningoencephalitis with or without myelitis. Morbidity is age dependent, and is highest in adults of whom half develop encephalitis. A third of patients have longlasting sequelae, frequently with cognitive dysfunction and substantial impairment in quality of life. The disease arises in patchy endemic foci in Europe, with climatic and ecological conditions suitable for circulation of the virus. Climate change and leisure habits expose more people to tick-bites and have contributed to the increase in number of cases despite availability of effective vaccines. The serological diagnosis is usually straightforward. No specific treatment for the disease exists, and immunisation is the main preventive measure.
我们回顾了蜱传脑炎的流行病学和临床特征，并总结了对于理解该病毒的生命周期和传播至关重要的生物学和病毒学方面。蜱传脑炎病毒是一种黄病毒，由硬蜱属蜱虫在从西欧到日本东海岸的广大区域传播。蜱传脑炎可导致伴有或不伴有脊髓炎的急性脑膜脑炎。发病率与年龄有关，在成年人中最高，其中一半会发展为脑炎。三分之一的患者有长期后遗症，常伴有认知功能障碍和生活质量的严重受损。该病在欧洲呈散发性流行病灶出现，那里的气候和生态条件适合病毒传播。气候变化和休闲习惯使更多人暴露于蜱虫叮咬之下，尽管有有效的疫苗，但仍导致病例数增加。血清学诊断通常很简单。目前尚无针对该疾病的特效治疗方法，免疫接种是主要的预防措施。
