Hospitalization rate for tick-borne meningoencephalitis
Tick-borne meningoencephalitis is a tick-borne viral disease of the central nervous system. Infection is also possible through drinking raw milk from infected animals. The disease usually proceeds in two stages. The first phase of the disease begins about a week after the tick bite and is similar to the flu with malaise, muscle aches and headache. In most patients, after a free interval (a few days to three weeks), the second phase of the disease follows with high temperature, severe headache and unconsciousness.
Overcoming the disease can leave permanent consequences, such as headache, reduced ability to work, reduced ability to concentrate or paralysis. 1-2 percent of adult patients die.
Infections occur seasonally, mostly from May to October, which is in accordance with the biological activity of ticks.
The disease can be successfully prevented by vaccination. Basic vaccination consists of three doses within one year, followed by booster doses every 3 or 5 years. Due to the possibility of effective prevention, the disease is a suitable starting point for public health measures.
On a global scale, Slovenia is at the top of the list of cases of tick-borne meningoencephalitis. Within Slovenia, the problem is greatest in Gorenje and Carinthia.
Most patients are hospitalized, so the hospitalization rate is a good indicator of the extent of the problem.
The rate of hospitalizations due to tick-borne meningoencephalitis describes the number of hospitalizations due to tick-borne meningoencephalitis per 100,000 inhabitants in the observed calendar year.
An age-standardized rate is calculated, which enables mutual comparison of populations with different age structures.
Rate per 100,000 inhabitants
The rate of hospitalizations due to tick-borne meningoencephalitis is the ratio of the number of hospitalizations with the main discharge diagnosis of tick-borne meningoencephalitis (CME) (A84 - Tick-borne viral encephalitis) in the observed calendar year to the population in the middle of the same year, multiplied by 100,000.
Tick-borne meningoencephalitis
For standardization, a direct standardization method is used, where the Slovenian population from 2014 is used as the standard population. The average of ten consecutive years is shown.
Record of Diseases, Poisonings, and Injuries Requiring Hospital Treatment, National Institute of Public Health.
Population, Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia.
Data on hospital treatments are published annually.
- National Institute of Public Health ( www.nijz.si )
- Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia ( www.stat.si/StatWeb )
The calculation does not include cases of tick-borne meningoencephalitis that were not hospitalized due to this disease.