{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"TBE Book","provider_url":"https:\/\/tbenews.com\/tbe","author_name":"Administrator admin","author_url":"https:\/\/tbenews.com\/tbe\/author\/administrator-admin\/","title":"Belgium - TBE Book","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"xm769BQvhx\"><a href=\"https:\/\/tbenews.com\/tbe\/tbe12b3\/\">Belgium<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/tbenews.com\/tbe\/tbe12b3\/embed\/#?secret=xm769BQvhx\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;Belgium&#8221; &#8212; TBE Book\" data-secret=\"xm769BQvhx\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script>\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/tbenews.com\/tbe\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n<\/script>\n","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/tbenews.com\/tbe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Belgium.jpg","thumbnail_width":1180,"thumbnail_height":250,"description":"TBE in Belgium Marjan Van Esbroeck, Tinne Lernout, Vanessa Suin and Steven Van Gucht E-CDC risk status: affected (data as of end 2022) History and current situation In 2018, the two first human tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) cases with possible\/probable autochthonous infection were diagnosed at the National Reference Centre (NRC) of Arbovirus (The Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium). Every year, some imported cases of TBE are also detected, infected in other European countries such as Germany,1 Scandinavia, Austria, Kyrgyzstan or Slovenia2 and Russia. Several seroprevalence\/prevalence studies in sentinel animals and ticks have been performed in Sciensano. Seropositive dogs, cattle, roe deer, and wild boar have been found in Belgium.3-7 Up to now, no positive tick has been detected in Belgium (on a total of ca. 1,600 ticks tested).8 The above studies in animals suggest that TBEV has been circulating for at least several years in Belgium (at a low level), and infections in humans were expected to occur. In 2018, two human cases of TBE were reported, in people that were possibly\/probably infected in Belgium. However, since they also traveled abroad during the incubation period, the autochthonous origin could not be confirmed. In 2019, a seroprevalence study among 195 forestry workers in Flanders revealed that none had antibodies showing evidence of an acquired infection.9 Three confirmed autochthonous cases have been diagnosed in Belgium during summer 2020.&nbsp;The patients had been exposed in geographically separate regions of the country, two of which were adjacent to an area with known TBEV seropositivity in animals.10 Two travel-associated TBE cases were diagnosed in 2021. One after travel to Austria while the other after travel to the Czech Republic. There was no autochthonous case in 2021. There were also two travel-associated TBE cases diagnosed in 2022. One after travel to Sweden and the other after travel to Slovenia. No autochthonous cases were reported in 2021 and 2022. Based on the current epidemiological findings, Belgium is classified as an affected country for TBE. Overview of TBE in Belgium Table 1: Virus, vector, transmission of TBE in Belgium Viral subtypes, distribution No information available in humans yet. No virus-positive animals or ticks have been reported to date. Reservoir animals Rodents: To date, no rodents seropositive for TBEV have been found in Belgium(Study realized by Sciensano in 2014, not published).&nbsp; Seropositive cattle, roe deer, and wild boar have been identified (cattle in the Wallonia region and wild boar in Flanders).3-7 Infected tick species (%) No positive ticks have been detected&nbsp; (Sciensano project in 2018 \u2013 RNA detection, Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM) project in 2018 \u2013 RNA detection).8 Dairy product transmission No information available. Table 2: TBE reporting and vaccine prevention in Belgium Mandatory TBE reporting None Other TBE surveillance 1. A national reference center (NRC) for TBE has been established since 2011. This center performs laboratory confirmation in suspected human cases and reports to Sciensano.&nbsp; From 2011 to 2015: Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium From 2016 to 2020: Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM), Antwerp, Belgium From 2021 to 2025: ITM, Antwerpen, Belgium 2. Human surveillance via NRC From 2011 to 2015: Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium From 2016 to 2020: ITM, Antwerpen, Belgium From 2021 to 2025: ITM, Antwerpen, Belgium 3. Animal surveillance (2011 to present): Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium3-7 4. Tick surveillance (2018 to present): ITM, Antwerp, Belgium and Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium. Case definition as described in https:\/\/eurlex.europa.eu\/LexUriServ\/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2012:262:0001:0057:EN:PDF.Confirmed case: symptoms of TBE and immunoglobulin M (IgM) and\/or ribonucleic acid-positive. Special clinical features No information available Available vaccines FSME-IMMUN&nbsp; (Purchased from Baxter by Pfizer in 2014) Vaccination recommendations and reimbursement In 2019, the Belgian Superior Health Council published recommendations for 3 different epidemiological situations. In the current situation (sporadic cases possible), vaccination is only recommended for travelers to endemic regions doing outdoor activities in forested areas (such as hiking, camping, mushroom picking, \u2026) during the tick season (spring, summer and autumn), and for people handling TBEV in a laboratory setting.10 Vaccine uptake by age group\/risk group\/general population No data available. Name, address\/website of TBE National Reference Center ITM, Antwerp, Belgium, www.itg.be Note: No information available on TBVE burden or distribution as up to now there have been no TBE cases.Also, no TBEV has been isolated to date and no autochthonous cases have been identified in Belgium. &nbsp; Figure 1: Burden of TBE in Belgium over time Click the image above to enlarge Source Data: Contact: vanessa.suin@sciensano.be Citation: Van Esbroeck M, Lernout T, Suin V, Van Gucht S. TBE in Belgium. Chapter 12b. In: Dobler G, Erber W, Br\u00f6ker M, Schmitt HJ, eds. The TBE Book. 6th ed. Singapore: Global Health Press;2023. doi:10.33442\/26613980_12b3-6 References"}