[Clinical picture of Central European tick-borne encephalitis (author's transl)]

Tick-borne encephalitis is transmitted by the tick ixodes ricinus. After the second world war an increase in the number of cases of encephalitis was observed and the neurotropic virus was isolated for the first time in 1948. Reservoir animals are mouse-like wild animals and also agricultural domestic animals. The infection is transmitted to humans through tick bites. It becomes apparent subjectively in headaches, vomiting, tiredness, giddiness and insomnia, and objectively in meningeal symptoms, extrapyramidal tremor, cerebellar ataxia, vestibular nystagmus and paresis. The treatment consists of strict rest in bed for 10 days at least and symptomatic support of the general health. Good results are obtained with antiedematous therapy with hydrocortisone or pyritinol.