Chen et al.
Epidemiology of tick-borne encephalitis in China, 2007-2018
PLoS ONE 2019; 14 (12): e0226712

Since 1942, TBE cases have been reported mainly from the north-eastern regions of China. However, exact data are missing due to the fact that TBE is not a notifiable disease in China. Therefore, the authors carried out an epidemiological analysis based on reported cases to the China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention over the past decade.

From 2007 to 2018, a total of 3364 TBE cases were reported with 19 deaths in China. The annual incidence of TBE in China was from 0.09 to 0.44 per 100,000 inhabitants. The highest incidence was in Daxing’anling in northeast China from 0.84 to 5.2/100,000. TBE cases occurred from April to August,  with a peak in May/June – mostly in northeast China. Most TBE virus infections  were found in men, 40-49 years of age who worked as farmers (34.8%), domestic workers (24.5%), and forestry workers (18.2%). The main vector for TBE virus is Ixodes persulcatus. As TBE is not a notifiable disease in China, its incidence is likely to be underreported.

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