Tick-borne encephalitis 2010: epidemiology, risk areas, and virus strains in Europe and Asia-an overview.

Over the past decades, tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) has become a growing public health concern in Europe and Asia and is the most important viral tick-borne disease in Europe. It is also important in the Far East and in other parts of Asia. Vaccination can effectively prevent TBE. It is indicated for persons inhabiting or visiting a TBE endemic area who are likely to be exposed to tick bites. For this purpose, it is necessary to know where TBE virus (TBEV) occurs, where vectors are a potential hazard, and where as a consequence autochthonous TBE cases have been registered. Natural changes in the known TBE foci and the detection of new foci necessitate a summarizing data update to optimize the protection of inhabitants and visitors to TBE endemic areas. The present review includes an overview of the epidemiological data on TBE in Europe and Asia gathered between 1990 and 2009 and describes old and especially new TBE risk areas in Europe and Asia.