Evaluation of under-testing and under-diagnosis of tick-borne encephalitis in Germany.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), a viral infectious disease affecting the central nervous system, potentially resulting in prolonged neurological symptoms and other long-term sequelae. Case identification can be challenging as TBE can be associated with non-specific symptoms, and even in cases consistent with typical TBE symptoms, the rate of laboratory testing to confirm cases is unknown. This study assessed real-world TBE laboratory testing rates across Germany.

Methods

In this retrospective cross-sectional study, physicians provided data on TBE decision-making, laboratory testing (serological), and diagnostics behavior via in-depth qualitative interviews (N = 12) or a web-based quantitative survey of their patient medical records (N = 166). Hospital-based physici

SUBMITTER: Schley K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9990549 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature