Recommendations to Improve Tick-Borne Encephalitis Surveillance and Vaccine Uptake in Europe.

There has been an increase in reported TBE cases in Europe since 2015, reaching a peak in some countries in 2020, highlighting the need for better management of TBE risk in Europe. TBE surveillance is currently limited, in part, due to varying diagnostic guidelines, access to testing, and awareness of TBE. Consequently, TBE prevalence is underestimated and vaccination recommendations inadequate.

Borrelia burgdorferi genospecies detection by RLB hybridization in Ixodes ricinus ticks from different sites of North-Eastern Poland.

Introduction: RLB (Reverse Line Blot Hybridization) is a molecular biology technique that might be used for Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (sl) DNA detection with genospecies specification. Among B. burgdorferi sl genospecies at least 7 are regarded as pathogenic in Europe.

[Botulism--actual epidemiologic and clinical problem].

Botulism incidence in Poland is the highest in whole European Union. Polish emigrants suffer from botulism as well. This phenomenon is supposed to be caused by Polish custom of preparing home-made food.

[Blood-brain barrier--function of Mato cells].

Brain because of its functions, is isolated from either external or internal environment. This function is performed by skull, cerebral meninges, cerebrospinal fluid and unique system of mechanisms and barriers restricting exchange of oxygen, soluble substances between blood, nervous tissue and cerebrospinal fluid. Mato cells, located in Virchow-Robin's space play a key role in blood-brain barrier.

[New aspects of the pathogenesis of lyme disease].

Morphological changes of B. burgdorferi as well as changes in expression of surface proteins caused by environmental determinants are essential in pathogenesis of Lyme disease. Cysts, spherical form (spheroplasts, L-form) and "blebs" (gemmae) can be responsible for long lasting antigenic stimulation, signs of chronic borreliosis, and even probably connected with MS and Alzheimer disease.