The article compares surveillance systems for tick‑borne encephalitis (TBE) and Lyme borreliosis (LB) in neighboring regions of the Czech Republic and Poland between 1999 and 2008. We observed marked differences in reported incidence rates, which were consistently higher in the Czech Republic. Because administrative borders do not limit the spread of zoonotic diseases, these contrasts are unlikely to reflect true differences in disease occurrence. Instead, they point to variations in access to diagnostic testing and overall surveillance sensitivity between the two countries. Using a simple but informative approach—assessing a cross‑border reporting “gradient”—the study illustrates how differences in surveillance performance can shape perceived disease burden and provides useful context for international comparisons of surveillance data.
This analysis was conducted together with Hana, the first EPIET fellow working in Poland, who was originally from the Czech Republic. Together with other colleagues, we formed a strong and productive cross‑border team. 🙂