ABSTRACT
Tick-borne encephalitis ( TBE) is a well-known central nervous system ( CNS) infection in children. The disease in children is generally milder,although severe illness may occur and even lead to perma-nent impairment of the quality of life due to neuropsychological sequelae. We review the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of tick-borne encephalitis,and summarise biological and virological aspects that are impor-tant for understanding the life-cycle and transmission of the virus. Tick-borne encephalitis virus is a flavivirus that is transmitted by ixodes persulcatus. Tick-borne encephalitis causes acute meningoencephalitis. The serologi-cal diagnosis is usually straightforward. No specific treatment for the disease exists,and immunisation is the main preventive measure.