SEVERE TICK-BORNE ENCEPHALITIS FOLLOWING PASSIVE-IMMUNIZATION

We report on a 5-year-old girl with an unusually severe course of tick -borne encephalitis following passive immunization with specific hyper immune globulin after a tick bite in an endemic area. Serial investiga tions of the CSF revealed intrathecal production of specific antibodie s paralleled by increasing numbers of B-cells after initial T-cell ple ocytosis, Focal central lesions were evident on MRI. Conclusion The se verity of the presented case questions the benefit of massive immuniza tion and rather justifies consideration of vaccine recommendation to r esidents and travellers to areas endemic for tick-borne encephalitis v irus.