Prepared by: Kristina Orožen 
Date of last change: March 2019

Purpose and justification of the indicator

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.

Definition of indicator

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.

Unit of measure

Calculation of the indicator

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
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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.

Data sources for Slovenia

Record of Diseases, Poisonings, and Injuries Requiring Hospital Treatment, National Institute of Public Health.
Population, Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia.

Time availability

Data on hospital treatments are published annually.

Men in literature

<ol>
<li>National Institute of Public Health ( <a href="http://www.nijz.si" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.nijz.si</a> )</li>
<li>Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia ( <a href="http://www.stat.si/StatWeb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.stat.si/StatWeb</a> )</li>
</ol>

Notes

The calculation does not include cases of tick-borne meningoencephalitis that were not hospitalized due to this disease.

Health status

Prepared by: Metka Zaletel 
Date of last modification: September 2016

Residents and community

Prepared by: Mojca Simončič and Metka Zaletel 
Date of last change: January 2018

Prepared by: Mojca Simončič and Metka Zaletel 
Date of last change: September 2016

Prepared by: Mojca Simončič 
Date of last change: March 2017

Prepared by: Gregor Starc 
Date of last modification: September 2016

Health risk factors

Prepared by: Gregor Starc, Kristina Orožen 
Date of last change: September 2016

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Date of last change: March 2021

Prepared by: Andreja Belščak 
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Prepared by: Mateja Rok Simon and Tina Zupanič 
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Date of last change: March 2021

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Date of last change: November 2017

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Prepared by: Jasmina Staroveški Anderlič 
Date of last change: March 2020

Prepared by: Victoria Zakrajšek 
Date of last change: November 2021

Prepared by: Victoria Zakrajšek 
Date of last change: March 2023

Prepared by: Tatjana Kofol Bric 
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Preventive

Prepared by: Victoria Zakrajšek and Sonja Tomšič 
Date of last change: March 2017

Prepared by: Bonia Miljavac 
Date of last change: March 2017

Prepared by: Sonja Tomšič 
Date of last change: November 2019

Prepared by: Sonja Tomšič 
Date of last change: March 2021

Prepared by: Victoria Zakrajšek 
Date of last change: March 2017

Prepared by: Aleš Korošec 
Date of last change: September 2016

Prepared by: Aleš Korošec
Date of last change: September 2016

Prepared by: Tatjana Kofol Bric 
Date of last change: March 2019

Prepared by: Aleš Korošec and Sonja Tomšič 
Date of last change: September 2016

Prepared by: Mojca Simončič and Metka Zaletel 
Date of last change: October 2019

Prepared by: Tatjana Kofol Bric, Jona Bambič 
Date of last change: March 2018

Prepared by: Victoria Zakrajšek, Tatjana Kofol Bric 
Date of last change: February 2020

Prepared by: Ema Ahačič 
Date of last change: April 2023

Prepared by: Ema Ahačič 
Date of last change: March 2023

Mortality

Prepared by: Sonja Tomšič, Tatjana Kofol Bric 
Date of last change: March 2019

Prepared by: Sonja Tomšič 
Date of last change: March 2019

Prepared by: Tina Lesnik 
Date of last change: March 2019

Prepared by: Tina Lesnik 
Date of last change: March 2020