TBE in Romania

Abstract

Based on an epidemiological survey performed, human TBEV neuroinfections may have an endemic emergent course, and natural foci are in full territorial expansion. Identified risk areas are Tulcea district, Transylvania, at the base of the Carpathian Mountains and the Transylvanian Alps. TBE has been a notifiable disease since 1996. Surveillance of TBE is not done at the country level, only regionally in some counties (northern/central/western part, close to Hungary). The passive surveillance system was implemented in 2008. However, there is no regular screening and the relative risk of contracting this disease is unknown. In 1999, an outbreak of TBE in humans was recorded with a total of at least 38 human cases. The probable cause of the outbreak was goat milk and raw goat milk products. Subsequent studies to detect TBEV in ticks in the affected regions resulted in a non-specified number of TBEV isolates, which were described as belonging to the European subtype of TBEV. A publication of the neighboring Republic of Moldova described the existence of the Far-eastern subtype of TBEV just at the border to Romania.