Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus Infection in a Two-Year-Old Child Returning from Switzerland (July–August 2023): Is It Time for TBE Immunization of Serbian Travelers?
Verica Simin,
Ognjen Ležakov,
Ivana Bogdan,
Dragana Mijatović,
Dragana Gazibara,
Lidija Popović-Dragonjić,
Gordana Vijatov Đurić,
Borko Milanović,
Jelena Kesić,
Andrea Đuretić,
Ágota Ábrahám,
Zsófia Lanszki,
Gábor Kemenesi,
Brigitta Zana,
Krisztián Bányai,
Zbigniew Zając,
Dejan Jakimovski,
Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz,
Pavle Banović
Affiliations
Verica Simin
Department of Microbiology, Pasteur Institute Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Ognjen Ležakov
Medical Faculty of Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Ivana Bogdan
Department of Microbiology, Pasteur Institute Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Dragana Mijatović
Diagnostics and Laboratory Research Task Force, Balkan Association for Vector-Borne Diseases, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Dragana Gazibara
Department of Quality Control, Pasteur Institute Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Lidija Popović-Dragonjić
Department of Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine Niš, University of Niš, 18000 Niš, Serbia
Gordana Vijatov Đurić
Medical Faculty of Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Borko Milanović
Medical Faculty of Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Jelena Kesić
Medical Faculty of Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Andrea Đuretić
Institute for Child and Youth Healthcare of Vojvodina, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Ágota Ábrahám
National Laboratory of Virology, Szentágothai Research Centre, University of Pécs, 7600 Pecs, Hungary
Zsófia Lanszki
National Laboratory of Virology, Szentágothai Research Centre, University of Pécs, 7600 Pecs, Hungary
Gábor Kemenesi
Diagnostics and Laboratory Research Task Force, Balkan Association for Vector-Borne Diseases, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Brigitta Zana
National Laboratory of Virology, Szentágothai Research Centre, University of Pécs, 7600 Pecs, Hungary
Krisztián Bányai
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1400 Budapest, Hungary
Zbigniew Zając
Department of Biology and Parasitology, Medical University of Lublin, Radziwiłłowska 11, 20-080 Lublin, Poland
Dejan Jakimovski
Faculty of Medicine, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, 1000 Skopje, North Macedonia
Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
Laboratoire de Santé Animale, UMR BIPAR, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, ANSES, INRAE, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
Pavle Banović
Diagnostics and Laboratory Research Task Force, Balkan Association for Vector-Borne Diseases, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a vaccine-preventable viral infection that poses significant public health challenges, particularly in regions where tick-borne diseases are endemic. This case report describes a 2-year-old boy with confirmed abortive TBEV infection following a tick bite during travel to Switzerland. The patient developed fever and mild symptoms but did not exhibit central nervous system involvement. The case underscores the importance of raising awareness among healthcare providers and travelers from non-endemic areas, such as Serbia, about TBE risk and the potential benefits of preventive vaccination. Strategic immunization campaigns could mitigate the public health impact of travel-related TBE.
