IMMUNOLOGICAL DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN TICKBORNE ENCEPHALITIS WITH ANDWITHOUT CONCOMITANT NEUROBORRELIOSIS

Cerebrospinal fluid lymphocyte subsets in patients with tickborne ence phalitis (TBE) and in patients with TEE with concomitant neuroborrelio sis (double infection) were analysed by flow cytometry. In the TBE gro up, higher percentages of CD4+DR+ T cells (p = 0.02) and CD25+ T cells (p = 0.0002) were observed, while in the group with double infection, higher percentages of CD19+ cells (p = 0.007), CD8+DR-T cells (p = 0. 04), and CD3t-CD71+ T cells (p = 0.0002) were found, It was concluded that several differences in immune cell parameters are present between the two groups of patients. Three variables (CD19+ cells, CD3+CD25+ T cells, CD3+CD7+T cells) were included in the logistic regression mode l for calculation of probability for double infection, Flow cytometric characterisation of lymphocyte subsets in CSF can further substantiat e the diagnosis of concomitant neuroborreliosis in patients with TBE.