TBE In Poland

The history of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in Poland started in 1948, when clinical symptoms of TBE were described by Demiaszkiewicz.7 Disease reporting has been mandatory since 1970. In the years between 1970-1992, a total of 576 TBE cases were reported; the annual number varied from 4 (1991) to 60 (1970), and the incidence in that period ranged from 0.01/100,000 population to 0.2/100,000 inhabitants, respectively. In 1993, however, the number of reported TBE cases increased rapidly, probably because of the first introduction of commercial tests serologically to confirm the diagnosis of TBE by ELISA, which rapidly replaced the older HI assay (Fig.1).2,3,15 As in other European countries, TBE cases occur mainly in men aged 30-60 y. (Fig.2).