The distribution of antibodies against tick-borne encephalitis virus in domestic animals in the Tribec region.

An investigation has been made of the presence of antibodies against tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus in cattle and goats in six villages on the south-western slopes of the Tribec Mountains, as part of a study of the transmission of tick-borne encephalitis virus in western Slovakia. The frequency of antibodies in different localities ranged between 4% and 28% in cattle and between 0% and 35% in goats. The differences were related to the different grazing practices in the villages. In four villages the percentage of positive sera increased with the age of the animals, but in Jarok and Horné Lefantovce cattle and goats less than 1 year old had antibodies, indicating the recent existence of virus activity in these areas. Moreover, in Jarok, 28% of the goats kept near the focus of infection had antibodies, whereas only 3% of those kept away from it had. On the basis of these results it is concluded that the activity of a focus of tick-borne encephalitis can be approximately evaluated from serological examinations of domestic animals.