[Serological confirmation of the prevalence of tick-borne encephalitis virus among patients with neurological infections in the Warmia-Masuria province in 2006-2010].

The aim of the study was to analyze of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in the Warmia-Masuria province on the basis of serological testing of 878 patients with symptoms of neurological infections, diagnosed in 2006-2010 in the Voivodeship Sanitary-Epidemiological Station in Olsztyn. Specific IgM and IgG antibodies against the TBE virus were detected in serum and cerebrospinal fluid samples by ELISA method. Percentage of persons with serologically confirmed TBE was 15.5%. This confirms contact with TBE virus and its role as the suspected cause of neurological infections in patients in the Warmia-Masuria province. Men and people over 46 years of age were more commonly seropositive. Among examined patients the percentage of seropositive men was 18.1% and the proportion of seropositive women was - 12.9%. Most positive results were found in patients between 46 and 50 years of age (20.7%) and in those aged 56-60 years (19.5%). Seasonal patterns were detected, with highest proportion of seropositive results in July, August and October.