Siemieniako-Werszko et al.
Anti-TBE intrathecal synthesis as a prediction marker in TBE patients
Pathogens. 2022;11(4):416. doi:10.3390/pathogens11040416
After a virus infection, TBE antibodies appear about 0–6 days after onset of neurological symptoms and specific IgM can last for 10 months (also after vaccination), while virus genome can no longer be detected by PCR after start of illness. Antibody indexes may be used in diagnosis and a Polish team has evaluated this method for prediction of the course of disease and subsequent potential sequelae.
A total of 66 patients were included in a clinical study in 2016/17, of whom 40 individuals had meningitis and 26 suffered from meningoencephalitis. In 31 patients (47%), sequelae were diagnosed.
IgG intrathecal index was significantly higher in patients with a monophasic course of disease compared to patients with a biphasic course of illness. Additionally, the IgG2/IgG1 ratio was higher in patients with a biphasic course.
Although the comparison of the IgG intrathecal index at admission and in control lumbar punction between patients with and without coinfection with Borrelia burgdorferi did not show any significant differences, the IgG2/IgG1 ratio was significantly lower in patients with coinfection.
In this study, it was shown that a negative correlation exits with an early serological response which had protective features and dismissed the inflammatory response in the CSF. IgG intrathecal index might be a useful tool for the prediction of TBE sequelae development.