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. 2024 Mar 6;13(3):231.
doi: 10.3390/pathogens13030231.

Serosurvey of Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus Infection in Romania

Andreea Mădălina Panciu  1   2 , Cristina Alexandra Cheran  1   2 , Eliza Daniela Militaru  1   2 , Claudia Doina Rîciu  1 , Adriana Hristea  1   2
Affiliations

Serosurvey of Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus Infection in Romania

Andreea Mădălina Panciu et al. Pathogens. .

Abstract

Background: Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a disease with mandatory declaration in the EU since 2012. Information regarding the seroprevalence of the disease across Romania is limited, and only sporadic cases are rarely reported. We aimed to identify new areas of TBEV infection in different counties of Romania.

Methods: We conducted a serosurvey assessing the immune response to TBEV infection in adult populations from rural areas in different counties of the country. Seropositivity was defined by a positive TBEV IgM/IgG ELISA test and confirmed by serum neutralization.

Results: We collected 1116 samples from 15 different localities in 10 counties (divided into endemic/border/non-endemic counties) across Romania. Overall, 26 (2.3%) of the samples were tested positive using the TBEV ELISA assay in six counties. In those counties, 3.7% of sera were positive, varying from 1.4% to 6.9% per county. After performing the neutralization assay, seven (0.6%) samples were confirmed positive, interestingly all from one site in Sibiu County, where the seroprevalence was 9.7%.

Conclusions: The identification of positive serum samples in serosurveys appears to rely on the discovery of TBEV microfoci. Further serological surveys should be conducted in Romania, especially after the identification of positive TBEV patients presenting for medical care.

Keywords: Romania; TBEV; serosurvey.

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Conflict of interest statement

This research was funded by Pfizer—Research Grant ID #57519415. This was independent research; the research team exclusively managed the database and data analysis; there was no agreement with the study grant funders that would somehow interfere or compromise our ability as authors to analyze and interpret the data and to prepare and publish this manuscript independently when and where we choose.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Serum sample localities where serum samples were collected (red dots) and counties under passive surveillance (blue).
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