Poor virus-specific T-cell responses early after tick-borne encephalitis virus infection correlate with disease severityAregay, Amare (Avtor) Slunečko, Jan (Avtor) Bogovič, Petra (Avtor) Korva, Miša (Avtor) Resman Rus, Katarina (Avtor) Knap, Nataša (Avtor) Beicht, Jana (Avtor) Kubinski, Mareike (Avtor) Saletti, Giulietta (Avtor) Steffen, Imke (Avtor) Strle, Franc (Avtor) Avšič-Županc, Tatjana (Avtor) TBEVtick-borne encephalitis (TBE)TBEV-specific T-cellsdisease severityoutcomeTick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) infection may cause acute central nervous system inflammation varying in clinical manifestations and severity. A possible correlation of TBEV-specific antibody and cell-mediated immune responses, shortly after infection, with clinical manifestations, severity and long-term outcome has been poorly investigated. In a cohort of thirty early tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) patients, we assessed the magnitude, specificity and functional properties of TBEV-specific T-cell and antibody responses. These responses early during disease were assessed in view of clinical manifestations, severity and long-term outcome. TBEV-specific T-cell responses to C, E, NS1, and NS5 proteins were significantly lower in patients with severe acute illness than in patients with mild TBE. Lower T-cell responses to E, NS1, and NS5 proteins also correlated with the development of meningoencephalomyelitis. Virus-specific antibody titres early after infection did not correlate with disease severity, clinical manifestations, or long-term outcome in this study, possibly due to the small number of patients of which matching serum and peripheral blood mononuclear cells were available. The findings suggest that virus-specific T cells afford a certain degree of protection against the development of severe TBEV-induced disease.20242026-06-05 13:01:25Neznano29803sl