Tick-Borne Encephalitis sequelae at long-term follow-up: a self-reported case-control study.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health

Background:

• Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), a neurotropic infection caused by the TBE virus (TBEV), poses significant neurological risks across Europe and Asia.
• Long-term neurological sequelae are a considerable concern for TBE patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the acute-phase symptoms and long-term sequelae in patients with TBE in Western Gotaland.
• To assess neurocognitive and functional outcomes 2-15 years post-infection.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study of medical records for 96 TBE patients.
• Phone interviews with 92 patients and 58 matched controls using the Encephalitis Support Group Questionnaire (ESGQ) and a survey on functional outcome of sleep (FOSQ).

Main Results:

• TBE disease severity varied: 35% mild, 56% moderate, 7.3% severe.
• Long-term follow-up showed significantly lower scores in TBE patients compared to controls in memory, executive functions, vigilance, and physical impairments.
• Patients reported increased fatigue, concentration difficulties, reduced initiative, balance and coordination problems, and impaired fine motor skills.

Conclusions:

• TBE patients experience persistent neurocognitive and motor deficits years after infection.
• The pathogenesis of these TBE sequelae requires further investigation.
• Development of specific neurocognitive assessment tests for TBE is recommended.