Abstract
The aim of the present study was to quantify the severity of acute illness in patients with tick-borne encephalitis and to ascertain this approach by comparing it to standard clinical assessment. We designed scoring system for quantification of the severity of acute illness in patients with tick-borne encephalitis. Certain number of points was allotted to the presence, intensity, and duration of individual symptoms/signs. According to the obtained score the disease was classified as mild, moderate, and severe. Tick-borne encephalitis was assessed clinically as mild when only signs/symptoms of meningeal involvement were found, moderate in case of monofocal neurological signs and/or mild to moderate signs/symptoms of central nervous system dysfunction, and severe in patients with multifocal neurological signs and/or symptoms of severe dysfunction of central nervous system. By designed scoring system 282 adult patients, 146 males and 136 females, average aged 52.2 ± 15.5 years (range 15–82 years), with confirmed tick-borne encephalitis, were prospectively assessed. In 279/282 (98.9%) patients the severity according to clinical assessment matched with the score ranges for mild, moderate, and severe disease. The proposed approach enables precise and straightforward appraisal of the severity of acute illness and could be useful for comparison of findings within/between study groups.
Highlights
Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is one of the most important human central nervous system infections in several European and Asian countries
Two-tailed P values of
TBE is an endemic disease in a large part of Slovenia
Summary
Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is one of the most important human central nervous system infections in several European and Asian countries It is caused by RNA virus belonging to the genus Flavivirus of the family Flaviviridae. TBE is endemic in a vast area ranging from Europe, through Siberia, and far-eastern Russia to northern China and Japan [2] It is present in regions at least of 27 European countries. A substantial increase in TBE incidence was reported in the years between 1990 and 2007 in the majority of European countries endemic for TBE, and new risk areas are discovered every year. This increase may have been attributed to many different factors such as climatic, social, political, ecological, economical, and demographic changes [4,5,6,7]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
