Philippe et al.
First detection of tick-borne encephalitis virus in Ixodes ricinus ticks in Belgium, May 2024. Parasites & Vectors, 2025; 18:197 doi: 10.1186/s13071-025-06829-5
In Belgium, serological studies in several animal species suggested that TBE virus is circulating in this country, and since 2020, several autochthonous TBE cases have been reported.
Recently, TBE virus could for the first time be detected in Ixodes ricinus ticks collected by flagging in a forest near Wanze (southwest of Liège).
Phylogenetic comparison with other European strains showed that this isolate was closely related to a strain found in Finland (Sipoo archipelago) and was distinct from the Salland strain identified in the Netherlands.