Tick-borne encephalitis joins the diseases under surveillance in the European Union

摘要

Climate and environmental changes are suspected as major determinants that alter the distribution and transmission patterns of certain communicable dis- eases, especially those transmitted by arthropods, such as ticks (e.g. tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) and Lyme disease), mosquitoes, (e.g. Chikungunya and Dengue fever), or sandflies (e.g. visceral leishmania- sis). Apart from the effect on the natural conditions and favouring a wider distribution of vectors which may carry diseases, they can also influence occupa- tional and recreational human behaviour and lead to an increased exposure to the risk of infectious diseases e.g. through increased time spent outdoors and har- vesting food in woodlands with high concentrations of ticks [1-3].