Vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis virus in Denmark, Norway and Sweden
Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is one of the more severe and widespread arboviral infections in Europe, with an increase in incidence over the past decades in several countries. Prevention strategies against infection with the virus include vaccination and protection against tick bites. The virus is...
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Elsevier
2025-06-01
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590136225000191 |
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| author | Mette F. Hansen John Shorter Martin T. Jepsen Anders Boman Pikka Jokelainen Solveig Jore Daniel Slunge Karen A. Krogfelt |
| author_facet | Mette F. Hansen John Shorter Martin T. Jepsen Anders Boman Pikka Jokelainen Solveig Jore Daniel Slunge Karen A. Krogfelt |
| author_sort | Mette F. Hansen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is one of the more severe and widespread arboviral infections in Europe, with an increase in incidence over the past decades in several countries. Prevention strategies against infection with the virus include vaccination and protection against tick bites. The virus is typically found in very localized endemic areas known as microfoci, possibly affecting differences in public knowledge and vaccination strategies between countries and regions. This study investigated how self-reported TBE vaccination status is associated with demographic variables, knowledge of TBE, and tick and TBE virus exposure in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. An online questionnaire with 48 questions, including demographic prompts, knowledge questions about TBE, and TBE vaccination status was sent out to respondents in the three countries. The overall proportion of reportedly TBE-vaccinated people in the three countries (N = 2668) was 13 %, but with large differences between countries. The proportion was 28.5 % in Sweden (N = 1096), 2.3 % in Norway (N = 789) and 2.2 % in Denmark (N = 783), corresponding well with the higher TBE incidence in Sweden. The reported TBE-vaccination rates in Denmark and Norway were too low for further analyses. The results from Sweden were analysed by logistic regression, showing that respondents in Sweden who reportedly visited TBE virus risk areas were more likely to be vaccinated. The general knowledge of TBE appeared to be limited, especially in Denmark and Norway. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-18a2c3f29802459da5704dbfd88aebfb |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2590-1362 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Vaccine: X |
| spelling | doaj-art-18a2c3f29802459da5704dbfd88aebfb2025-08-20T02:30:58ZengElsevierVaccine: X2590-13622025-06-012410062510.1016/j.jvacx.2025.100625Vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis virus in Denmark, Norway and SwedenMette F. Hansen0John Shorter1Martin T. Jepsen2Anders Boman3Pikka Jokelainen4Solveig Jore5Daniel Slunge6Karen A. Krogfelt7Department of Science and Environment, Roskilde University, DenmarkDepartment of Science and Environment, Roskilde University, DenmarkInfectious Disease Preparedness and One Health, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Virus and Microbiology Special Diagnostics, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, DenmarkDepartment of Economics, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, SwedenInfectious Disease Preparedness and One Health, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, DenmarkSection of Zoonotic & Waterborne Infections, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, NorwayEnvironment for Development, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, SwedenDepartment of Science and Environment, Roskilde University, Denmark; ESCMID Study Group for Tick-Borne Diseases – ESGBOR, European Society for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Switzerland; Corresponding author at: Department of Science and Environment, Roskilde University, Denmark.Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is one of the more severe and widespread arboviral infections in Europe, with an increase in incidence over the past decades in several countries. Prevention strategies against infection with the virus include vaccination and protection against tick bites. The virus is typically found in very localized endemic areas known as microfoci, possibly affecting differences in public knowledge and vaccination strategies between countries and regions. This study investigated how self-reported TBE vaccination status is associated with demographic variables, knowledge of TBE, and tick and TBE virus exposure in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. An online questionnaire with 48 questions, including demographic prompts, knowledge questions about TBE, and TBE vaccination status was sent out to respondents in the three countries. The overall proportion of reportedly TBE-vaccinated people in the three countries (N = 2668) was 13 %, but with large differences between countries. The proportion was 28.5 % in Sweden (N = 1096), 2.3 % in Norway (N = 789) and 2.2 % in Denmark (N = 783), corresponding well with the higher TBE incidence in Sweden. The reported TBE-vaccination rates in Denmark and Norway were too low for further analyses. The results from Sweden were analysed by logistic regression, showing that respondents in Sweden who reportedly visited TBE virus risk areas were more likely to be vaccinated. The general knowledge of TBE appeared to be limited, especially in Denmark and Norway.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590136225000191TBEVTick-borne pathogenTick, knowledgeVaccinationQuestionnaireScandinavia |
| spellingShingle | Mette F. Hansen John Shorter Martin T. Jepsen Anders Boman Pikka Jokelainen Solveig Jore Daniel Slunge Karen A. Krogfelt Vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis virus in Denmark, Norway and Sweden Vaccine: X TBEV Tick-borne pathogen Tick, knowledge Vaccination Questionnaire Scandinavia |
| title | Vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis virus in Denmark, Norway and Sweden |
| title_full | Vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis virus in Denmark, Norway and Sweden |
| title_fullStr | Vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis virus in Denmark, Norway and Sweden |
| title_full_unstemmed | Vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis virus in Denmark, Norway and Sweden |
| title_short | Vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis virus in Denmark, Norway and Sweden |
| title_sort | vaccination against tick borne encephalitis virus in denmark norway and sweden |
| topic | TBEV Tick-borne pathogen Tick, knowledge Vaccination Questionnaire Scandinavia |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590136225000191 |
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