TBE in Croatia

In Croatia, TBE was reported for the first time in 1953 near Križevci (Stara Ves, northwestern region).1 In addition to this first focus, several continental foci (Bjelovar, Pakrac, Koprivnica, Karlovac, Varaždin) have been recorded since 1961. Moreover, TBEV antibodies were detected in residents of the Croatian littoral near the islands of Zadar, Pula, and Brac.2 In 1991, TBEV emerged in the mountainous area of Gorski Kotar.3 The disease is also endemic in northwestern and eastern regions between the Sava and Drava rivers. Endemicity is highest in northwestern counties, with average incidence rates ranging from 3.61 to 6.78 per 100,000 inhabitants.4,5 In 2015 and 2019, two TBE clusters after consumption of raw goat milk were observed.6,7