Peculiarities of tick-borne encephalitis virus reproduction in Haemaphysalis inermis ticks and their explants.

Virological, electron microscopic and immunomorphological investigation on the reproduction of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus in Haemaphysalis inermis ticks and in tissue explants from nymphs during their metamorphosis revealed that the virus reproduced in the cells of different tissues and organs of ticks which were in different phases and stages of life cycle. During the eclipse phase of TBE virus persistence in ticks, when no virus could be demonstrated by infectivity assay, viral particles were detected by electron microscopy.