[Late neurological sequelae of tick-borne encephalitis in the population of the Olsztyn province].

The authors studied the incidence of late and permanent neurological sequelae of tick-borne encephalitis in the population of the Province of Olsztyn. The investigations were carried out in a group of 103 patients who were affected in the years 1970--1974. The diagnosis was confirmed in all cases with epidemiological, clinical and laboratory investigations and serological evidence of tick-borne encephalitis. It was shown in these studies that tick-borne encephalitis caused development of permanent lesions in the central and peripheral nervous system in 25.3% of cases. It was observed, moreover, that a considerable part of neurological signs found in the acute stage of the disease disappear during hospital treatment but later on after discharge from the hospital the symptoms of nervous system damage reappear and new signs develop which had not been observed in the acute stage. In the light of these studies the authors conclude that a considerable proportion of convalescents have limited physical and intellectual efficiency making impossible their return to their previous work and causing not infrequently permanent loss of working ability which must be kept in mind by physicians from different specialities.