Transnational exchange of surveillance data reveals previously unrecognized TBEV microfocus

Abstract

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a tick-borne infection with an increasing presence in many European countries. It is caused by the TBE virus (TBEV), a flavivirus transmitted by the Ixodes ricinus tick in northern Europe. In Denmark, the virus exists endemically on the island of Bornholm. However, a large proportion of Danish cases are also imported from Sweden, where the incidence of TBE has steadily been increasing during the last few decades. With the prospect of expanding risk areas due to climate change, TBE surveillance data exchange between countries could facilitate the identification of new TBEV microfoci and thereby aid healthcare workers in the issuing of vaccination recommendations. We present data from a collaborative effort between Denmark and Sweden on the surveillance of TBEV that resulted in the uncovering of a previously unrecognized possible TBEV microfocus in central Sweden.