The article describes a study aimed at identifying factors that support the diagnosis of tick‑borne encephalitis (TBE), a preventable viral infection for which no specific treatment is available. We conducted a case–control study using data from patients in Poland who were hospitalized with symptoms of aseptic meningo‑encephalitis and tested for TBE. Our analysis identified elevated cerebrospinal fluid protein levels and a reported tick bite as key indicators of TBE. Based on these findings, we developed a diagnostic algorithm to help clinicians determine which patients should be tested for TBE, particularly in resource‑limited settings. The algorithm demonstrated high sensitivity—successfully identifying most TBE cases—while showing lower specificity, reflecting the potential for false‑positive suspect cases that would need to be tested.
The study relied on advanced statistical analyses and was made possible by the exceptional efforts of Anna, an EPIET fellow based in Warsaw, who analysed data from a previously published nationwide screening programme of aseptic meningitis cases for TBE and led the development of a clinically applicable diagnostic algorithm.