Page 432 - TBE_Book_V2_2019

Chapter 12c

Global distribution of the

TBEV

Gerhard Dobler, Wilhelm Erber and Heinz-Josef Schmitt

In the map below, hatched areas indicate TBEV endemic regions as documented either by 1) TBEV detection in
ticks or animals; or 2) detection of specific anti-TBE antibodies in reservoir animals or human sera; or 3)
microbiologically confirmed locally acquired TBE cases in humans who contracted the disease in the respective
region. This map does not reflect the incidence of the disease or the prevalence of the virus in a given area.

See: https://id-ea.org/tbe/chapter-12c-risk-map-for-tbe-virus/

*This map may be different from “official” TBE-risk maps from local authorities. Differences between the map
above and country maps are explained by the fact that Public Health officials try to quantify the risk for TBE and
thus indicate only those areas as “TBE risk areas” where a certain incidence threshold of TBE case numbers or
TBE incidence is reached. This approach, however, does neither take into account the (in-) completeness of
testing of all encephalitis cases for TBE as well as vaccine uptake nor the existence of TBEV in regions with low
risk of exposition to humans (i.e. high TBE risk areas, however only rarely visited by humans). The goal of the
map is to give a more real impression of the distribution of the TBEV, according to available virological/
serological data – since all other data are biased by incomplete surveillance.
Moreover, the map presented here may not entirely be complete, and very likely TBEV infections and thus TBE
may occur in additional (“new”) areas.
Legend:
(red hatched area) = reported TBE cases and/or documented TBE virus isolation

(grey area) = countries where TBE is expected, but there is not enough data available

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