Laboratory of Vector-Borne Diseases and Pathogens Ecology, College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China.
Tick-Borne Diseases Research and Therapeutic Center, Heilongjiang Red Cross Sengong General Hospital, Harbin, China.
Zoonoses Public Health. 2024 Dec;71(8):955-961. doi: 10.1111/zph.13178. Epub 2024 Aug 21.
Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a serious and acute central nervous system infection caused by the tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). In recent years, TBE has emerged as a growing public health threat, with cases reported across Europe, the Russian Far East, Japan and China. This study aims to assess the prevalence of TBEV infection and examine behaviours associated with an increased risk of infection among individuals who visited the Heilongjiang Red Cross Sengong General Hospital due to tick bites from 2020 to 2023.
We collected blood samples and administered survey questionnaires from tick-bitten people. A total of 457 samples were screened using Nested PCR, and the detected TBEV prevalence rate was 29.54% (135/457). The symptoms of redness and swelling at the site of tick bite (42.57%), fever (28.71%) and headache (10.89%) were identified in the TBEV-positive individuals when they visited the hospital by the physician. Phylogenetic analysis of the partial E gene of TBEV revealed that the predominant strains in the region are highly virulent Far Eastern subtype. However, they do not cluster with the three established evolutionary clades of the Far Eastern type. Questionnaires data analysis identified age and first tick bite as important factors associated with TBEV infection.
This study provides basic information on the epidemiology of TBEV in Heilongjiang Province in recent years and identifies that the most related risk factor of infecting TBEV is tick exposure. Further research is needed to develop effective prevention and control measures.
蜱传脑炎（TBE）是一种由蜱传脑炎病毒（TBEV）引起的严重急性中枢神经系统感染。近年来，TBE 已成为一个日益严重的公共卫生威胁，欧洲、俄罗斯远东地区、日本和中国都有病例报告。本研究旨在评估 TBEV 感染的流行情况，并研究 2020 年至 2023 年因蜱叮咬前往黑龙江省红十字森工总医院就诊者中与感染风险增加相关的行为。
我们收集了被蜱叮咬者的血液样本和问卷调查。共筛查了 457 份样本，采用巢式 PCR 检测 TBEV，阳性检出率为 29.54%（135/457）。TBEV 阳性者就诊时，医生发现叮咬部位出现红肿（42.57%）、发热（28.71%）和头痛（10.89%）等症状。TBEV 部分 E 基因的系统进化分析显示，该地区的优势株为高毒力远东型。然而，它们并不与远东型的三个已建立的进化枝聚类。问卷数据分析确定年龄和首次蜱叮咬是与 TBEV 感染相关的重要因素。
本研究提供了近年来黑龙江省 TBEV 流行病学的基本信息，并确定蜱暴露是感染 TBEV 的最相关危险因素。需要进一步研究以制定有效的预防和控制措施。
