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Neurological complications of tick borne encephalitis: the experience of 89 patients studied and literature review

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Abstract

Tick borne encephalitis (TBE) is an acute febrile syndrome that can be complicated with neurological symptoms ranging from mild meningitis to severe encephalomyelitis. The causative agent is a virus belonging to the family of flaviviruses. We have collected a series of 89 patients and compared the clinical course with the main data of the literature of TBE. This review in addition describes the clinical manifestations associated with TBE infections, the main molecular-biological properties of these viruses, and the different factors that define the incidence and severity of disease who are frequently situated in the age group young/adult with a social harm and functional non-negligible. This review also contains diagnostic elements and neuropathological features typical of this infection and a brief summary of vaccination against TBE.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, San Martino Hospital, Belluno, Italy

    Sandro Zambito Marsala, Manuela Gioulis & Corrado Marchini

  2. Department of Neurology, Santorso Hospital, Vicenza (VI), Italy

    Michele Pistacchi

  3. Department of Health Service and Public Health, San Martino Hospital, Belluno, Italy

    Rosanna Mel

  4. Department of Infectious Diseases, San Martino Hospital, Belluno, Italy

    Ermenegildo Francavilla

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  1. Sandro Zambito Marsala
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  2. Michele Pistacchi
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  3. Manuela Gioulis
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  4. Rosanna Mel
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  6. Ermenegildo Francavilla
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Correspondence to Sandro Zambito Marsala.

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Zambito Marsala, S., Pistacchi, M., Gioulis, M. et al. Neurological complications of tick borne encephalitis: the experience of 89 patients studied and literature review. Neurol Sci 35, 15–21 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-013-1565-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-013-1565-8

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